Peyronie’s disease was described in 1743 by a French physician named
Francois de la Peyroni, who reported that patients with scar tissue in the
penis had a significantly bent penis. Until recently, Peyronie’s disease
was a poorly understood condition. Many original descriptions depicted it
as secondary to scarring from masturbation or sexually transmitted
diseases. It is not a malignant condition of the penis. It affects men
primarily between the ages of forty to sixty. The reported incidence is
somewhere in the range of 4 percent, but I suspect it is much more
common and vastly underreported. Patients often delay seeking medical
help out of fear and embarrassment. The hallmark of the disease is a
plaque or hard spot along the shaft of the penis. This occurs in the vast
majority of men with Peyronie’s disease. The plaque may range from a few
millimeters or may encompass the entire length of the penis. The most
common reason for seeking medical help is painful erections and erectile
dysfunction.
The cause of Peyronie's disease is not well understood. Currently, a
number of theories implicate trauma as the most likely cause. In the
cases that I have seen in my practice, this is the most common cause.
Unfortunately, as with most things that relate to human sexuality, we are
not taught how to have intercourse. Consequently, many positions and
practices that young men do put a great deal of torque and pressure on
the penis, causing microtrauma to its delicate supportive structures.