Millions of men suffer from various kinds of sexual disorders which many of us have barely heard of, although might be secretly ignoring the symptoms. Ignoring or denial of the symptoms is the biggest mistake any patient can do to oneself. Sometimes even a symptom of a sexual disorder might be a signal of some underlying grave issue. Hence, it is always advisable to seek help and ask questions, wherever in doubt. 

Speaking of sexual disorders, physical problems concerning the penis are the most common of the lot. For example, having recurring issues in achieving or maintaining firm erections, or even having an abnormal curvature in the penis. The former issue is most commonly termed as ‘erectile dysfunction’ or impotence, while the latter can be an issue of a congenital curved penis. Here we would explore the scope of this latter issue. 

Is it Normal to have a Curved Penis?

To be precise, it is common for the penis to curve slightly to the left or right when it’s erect. It so happens that sometimes a penis can curve to the side, upward or downward when it gets erect. This is perfectly common, and even a bent penis usually is not something to be bothered about. 

When a man gets sexually aroused, blood flows into the blood vessels of the penis, making it become stiff and erect or expand. A bent penis occurs when these blood vessels don’t expand evenly. Most often, this is due to common differences in penis anatomy. But sometimes, scar tissue or another problem causes a bent penis and painful erections.

Now, on one hand, it is completely natural to have some curvature in the penis, but on the other, having a penile curvature is a different aspect altogether. Penile curvature is a physical condition in which your penis curves when you have an erection. 

Penile curvature typically ranges from 5 to 30 degrees. A 5-degree curve in the penis looks like the hands of a clock showing 9:13; while a 30-degree curve looks like it is showing 9:10. But if you have a more significant bend in your penis, which may cause you pain or difficulty having sex, you can definitely consult a general physician or go to your local genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic. 

Such a condition might have been there with you for a long time, or developed over time, even without your realization. This condition becomes a headache only when the changes brought to your penis due to this condition affect you emotionally and even impact your relationship. Primarily, there are two types of penile curvatures, as mentioned below:

• Congenital penile curvature (chordee) – A chordee is a penile curvature that’s present at birth (congenital). In most cases, a congenital curved penis remains unnoticed until they go hit puberty. 
• Peyronie’s disease – Peyronie’s disease is when scar tissue causes the penis to bend later in life. Although it is unclear, as to what exactly causes Peyronie’s disease, some medical experts are of the opinion that this condition might develop after an injury to the penis. 

In most cases, a curved or bent penis becomes a big concern because it makes the erections painful or it causes pain while intercourse or causes some other problems during sex or sexual arousal. These can sometimes be symptoms of Peyronie’s disease. Although this condition mostly affects men over 40, it can also happen at any age. 

Some men with this sort of condition get pain in their penis, while others don’t. Surprisingly, for some, it also gets better over time. The most common symptoms of Peyronie’s disease are as follows: 

• A thickened area or one hard lump (plaque) in the shaft of the penis (more than one plaque is rarely found)
• A curve in the penis when it’s erect (usually it curves upwards)
• Pain in the penis, usually during an erection (pain in the non-erect penis is rare)
• Penis looks oddly shaped, like an hourglass
• Loss of length or girth of the penis
• Penis appears to twist or rotate (penile torsion).
• A loss of length in your erect (hard) penis.
• Difficulty getting or keeping an erection.
• Your erection not being as hard as it used to be.
• Pain or difficulty while having sexual intercourse.

The severe symptom caused by the curve in the penis is extreme difficulty in having sex, painful or almost impossible to have intercourse. Peyronie’s disease may also lead to erectile dysfunction. 

A penile curvature can also affect your mental health. It can affect you psychosocially, like how others influence your thoughts and emotions, and psychologically; as in, how you think about yourself and your behaviour. It might inflict severe stress, anxiety or depression on you. 

The best thing one can do in this kind of scenario is to stop worrying and ask for help. It is best to avoid looking for random tips from laymen and rather consult some authorized healthcare professional. The best solutions are always with the healthcare experts and not some unauthorized fake websites.