{"id":5501,"date":"2016-01-13T09:00:46","date_gmt":"2014-01-13T09:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.edrugstore.md\/blog\/?p=5501"},"modified":"2014-01-13T18:28:35","modified_gmt":"2014-01-13T18:28:35","slug":"fda-oks-drug-for-curved-erections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/erectile-dysfunction\/fda-oks-drug-for-curved-erections\/","title":{"rendered":"FDA OKs Drug for Curved Erections"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Man
Peyronie’s disease once left little room for hope, but that’s changing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A curvature to the penis isn\u2019t always cause for concern. If it\u2019s minor and the penis has always had a bit of a curve, that might just be its normal erect shape. But for men who suffer from Peyronie’s disease, the onset of a curvature happens later in life, it\u2019s pronounced, and might be a reason to see your doctor.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, new advances in medicine give doctors another avenue for treating Peyronie\u2019s disease with effective and less painful methods than before. The FDA\u2019s recent approval of the drug Xiaflex, by Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, gives hope to men who either didn\u2019t respond to the traditional medications or who don\u2019t want to undergo surgery.<\/p>\n

Peyronie\u2019s Disease is More than a Curve<\/strong><\/p>\n

A healthy penis becomes erect, firm, and generally straight during sexual stimulation, but not always perfectly straight. Blood fills two semi-cylindrical, spongy chambers running the length of the penis, causing it to lengthen and thicken. When Peyronie\u2019s disease affects the penis, the erection has anywhere from a slight to pronounced curve.<\/p>\n

With Peyronie’s, the tissue\u2019s normal ability to stretch during an erection is impaired in one or more areas, so the penis doesn\u2019t expand evenly. The problem doesn\u2019t lie in blood flow, but in the tissue\u2019s ability to accommodate it.<\/p>\n

Scarring is the usual culprit behind Peyronie\u2019s, and there are different causes. Where healthy tissue can stretch, scarred tissue is less supple. And it\u2019s usually beneath the layer of skin that you can see. The Mayo Clinic<\/a> \u00a0explains that scarring can sometimes be identified as \u201cflat lumps or a band of hard tissue\u201d beneath the skin.<\/p>\n

This scarring can cause the penis to curve in any direction, and sometimes it\u2019s severe enough to make sexual stimulation and intercourse painful. In some men, the curve is so pronounced that sex is nearly impossible. It can also lead to problems achieving or maintaining an erection.<\/p>\n

Causes and Traditional Treatments for Peyronie\u2019s<\/strong><\/p>\n

Injury is usually responsible for scarring, but the injury doesn\u2019t have to be obvious. Some injuries are difficult to forget, such as sports-related one. But injury can also happen during sex.<\/p>\n

Scar tissue can form as an injury heals. With Peyronie\u2019s Disease, ruptured small blood vessels inside the penis may heal with blood and other cells trapped at the site of the injury, says Mayo Clinic. This creates the thickened scar tissue, which isn\u2019t as flexible as it was before the injury. Not all injuries result in scar tissue. It\u2019s an injury that doesn\u2019t heal properly that produces thickened tissue. Some men may be genetically predisposed to scarring.<\/p>\n

In some men, no evidence of injury is found. The Mayo Clinic says in these cases, it can gradually evolve and worsen over time, and may be related to an immune disorder. Men with a connective tissue disorder are more susceptible, and there is a higher risk of inheriting it for men with relatives who have Peyronie\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Testing may involve a physical examination, ultrasound, and X-rays. Traditionally, treatment has been either oral or injected medications, or surgery, with surgery being much more effective than medication.<\/p>\n

Medications have included Verapamil, which is a high blood pressure medicine, and Interferon, which can help break down scar tissue. Surgery is a scary consideration, but has been warranted for men with an extreme curvature that caused pain and prevented or impaired sex.<\/p>\n

The Mayo Clinic describes two surgical procedures; one shortens the healthy side of the penis to match the side with scar tissue, and the other lengthens the scarred side by altering the scar tissue with grafts. Penile implants may be another option for some men, and all surgery comes with the risk of impaired ability to achieve and maintain an erection.<\/p>\n

Other treatments that aren\u2019t yet proven include radiation to break up the scarred tissue, and a rather diabolical-sounding device that puts the penis in traction, stretching it to help regain flexibility.<\/p>\n

The Effects May, or May Not, be Minor<\/strong><\/p>\n

For some men with Peyronie\u2019s disease, the curve is more of an appearance concern than anything else. A slight curve may not alter arousal, erections, or sexual activity at all. Other men are less fortunate.<\/p>\n

More severe cases can result in erections with a 90-degree curve, or even greater. Sometimes there is no curve, but an indentation around the penis shaft that causes an hourglass appearance. Sometimes there is both.<\/p>\n

The more scar tissue is present, the less flexible the scarred portion of the penis, and the greater the difference between the scarred and unscarred areas.\u00a0In men with a severe curvature, arousal and erections might cause equally severe pain. Orgasm might also be painful, and sexual intercourse might be impossible.<\/p>\n

The A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia at the U.S. National Library of Medicine<\/a> \u00a0paints a not-so-rosy picture of Peyronie\u2019s disease and the medications traditionally used to treat it. However, it does note that the condition is quite rare.<\/p>\n

A.D.A.M. explains that traditional treatments often have little or no effect on reversing the curve, and they can create more scarring, which worsens the condition that it\u2019s supposed to help. As for surgery, the encyclopedia cautions that it can result in the loss of ability to achieve an erection. That’s not very helpful.<\/p>\n

But in all of this gloom and doom, there is finally some good news.<\/p>\n

Xiaflex Offers Hope for Real Improvement<\/strong><\/p>\n

With a lack of successful Peyronie\u2019s Disease treatments available, any new hope is noteworthy. But Xiaflex might be more than hope, it could offer clear and substantial results.<\/p>\n

Auxilium Pharmaceuticals developed Xiaflex (collagenase clostridium histolyticum) for the treatment Dupuytren\u2019s contracture. People with this disorder develop one or more cords of scar tissue under the skin of the palm of the hand. These cords pull fingers into a permanent curve toward the palm, and surgery often fails to correct the condition completely.<\/p>\n

There is a Dupuytren\u2019s contracture connection, as people who suffer from this condition may have a higher risk of Peyronie\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n

On Dec 6, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration<\/a> issued a press release stating that Xiaflex had received FDA approval for the treatment of Peyronie\u2019s disease. What makes this such an exciting announcement is that it\u2019s the first<\/em> medicine ever to receive FDA approval for this purpose.<\/p>\n

Xiaflex is made from a protein, and is an injected drug. Instead of a daily pill taken as a routine therapy for years, patients undergo a cycle of four or fewer treatments. After that, no more treatments may ever be necessary.<\/p>\n

Treatments require strict doctor supervision, as there are risks of penile fracture and other injury to the penis, according to the FDA. At each treatment, the patient receives two injections of Xiaflex, administered directly into the penis (numbing agents are administered first), and then the doctor performs what\u2019s known as a \u201cmodeling\u201d procedure.<\/p>\n

Modeling means the doctor or another health care professional carefully manipulates the scarred areas of the penis, which helps break down the scar tissue.<\/p>\n

In clinical studies, 832 men with Peyronie\u2019s disease were observed for 52 weeks. Some received Xiaflex, and others received a placebo. The men who received Xiaflex experienced a significant reduction in penile curvature, which also reduced other effects of the disease.<\/p>\n

More moderate risks from Xiaflex treatment include penile hematoma, swelling, and pain.<\/p>\n

For men living with Peyronie\u2019s disease, it seems that help has arrived. The drug won\u2019t be suitable for everyone, but now doctors have a real choice for treating, and possibly even correcting, the disorder. FDA approval means a lot — Xiaflex has undergone extensive study, and the results are promising.<\/p>\n

Finally, there has been a real, proven, and safe advance in the treatment of Peyronie\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n

Columbia University Medical Center<\/a>\u00a0 reports that when Peyronie\u2019s is in very early stages, before a curvature has developed, some men respond to the erection health drugs, Levitra, Cialis, and Viagra.<\/p>\n

Ask your doctor whether an erection health drug is right for you. It could reduce your risk of developing more complicated problems.<\/p>\n

eDrugstore.com\u00a0sells Levitra, Cialis, and Viagra, all of which are scientifically proven erection health medications. There\u2019s even a sample pack with all three, if you\u2019re not sure which one is right for you. We offer the privacy and convenience of online ordering, and your discreetly-packed shipment arrives right at your door. If you\u2019re ready to try something that works, see what eDrugstore.com has to offer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A curvature to the penis isn\u2019t always cause for concern. If it\u2019s minor and the penis has always had a bit of a curve, that might just be its normal erect shape. But for men who suffer from Peyronie’s disease, the onset of a curvature happens later in life, it\u2019s pronounced, and might be a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5503,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_autoblog_aioseo_focus_keyphrase":"","_autoblog_aioseo_title":"","_autoblog_aioseo_description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[87,103],"class_list":["post-5501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-erectile-dysfunction","tag-erection","tag-xiaflex"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t