Does Traction Help a Bent Penis?

The appearance of a guy's penis can be a matter of great concern to a man. Every guy wants to sport a handsome penis, and so men may spend time admiring or worrying over their manhood. A frequent concern occurs when the penis is curved; a certain amount of curvature may be considered attractive, but when a man has a severely bent penis, it may cause anguish. And beyond the physical appearance, a really bent penis can be a penis health issue. When the curvature is extreme enough to cause pain or interfere with sexual functioning, steps may need to be taken to address the issue. One strategy is using a traction device to help lessen the curvature. But is this a medically sound option?

Peyronie's disease

Often when a bent penis is severely affected, a man may be diagnosed with Peyronie's disease. Named after the doctor who first described the condition, Peyronie's disease is generally caused when the penis experiences trauma or injury. This may be a direct blow to the penis, as when a baseball traveling at great speed hits the groin, or it may come about from the penis being handled too roughly during sex. In the latter, the condition is likely to result from repeated instances of rough handling.

When the penis is injured, a small amount of scar tissue, called plaque, forms as part of the healing process. If the injury is large enough, or if repeated trauma causes more layers of scar tissue to form on top of each other, it can result in curving. This occurs because the plaque lacks the elasticity of regular penis tissue. So when the penis becomes erect, the damaged side of the penis can't stretch as far as the other side, causing the penis to bend.

In some cases, this causes pain when the penis becomes erect. It also may bring about erectile dysfunction. If the curvature is severe enough, it may preclude the possibility of intercourse.

Treatment

In a small number of cases (usually of the milder variety), Peyronie's goes away without treatment. And in some cases, the degree of curvature is not severe enough to require treatment.

But in other cases, a doctor may recommend a number of treatments. These range from oral medications to injections to surgery. One option sometimes recommended is traction.

Traction

• Most treatments for a severely bent penis haven't undergone rigorous clinical trials, so assessing their effectiveness is difficult. But at least one trial involving penile traction therapy showed promise. Involving 55 men with Peyronie's disease, the study found an average decrease in curvature of 20 degrees; plaque disappeared in 48% of the patients. And the rate of those unable to achieve penetration fell from 62% to 20%.
• For the study, the men used a traction device, often called a penis extender. The device attaches at the base of the penis and again underneath the glans. It is then extended, pulling and stretching the penis. The men in the study were instructed to wear the device for 6-9 hours each day for 6 months.
• Based on the results of this study, it seems that traction may be an option for some men with a very bent penis. However, there are drawbacks; not all men responded to the treatment, and there is some degree of pain and discomfort associated with penis stretching.
• Men with Peyronie's should definitely consult with a doctor to see if they should consider any kind of treatment.
• Whether or not using traction to treat a bent penis, men should be sure to use a superior penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) to keep the penis in good health. One with vitamin C is especially urged, as this vitamin helps produce collagen, which in turn supports penile elasticity. Also welcome in a crème is L-arginine, which can help restore penis sensitivity after rough handling of the organ.