Peyronie's Disease Quiz: Should You Try Nonsurgical Intervention?
Men's Health

Are You a Candidate for Nonsurgical Treatment for Peyronie’s Disease?

Take this assessment to find out if you need treatment and which type is best for you.
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Updated on May 28, 2025
Medically Reviewed by

If you’ve been diagnosed with Peyronie’s disease, you may be wondering how best to treat it. The condition occurs when scar tissue forms under the skin of the penis. This scar tissue, called plaque, limits the ability of the tissue to stretch, causing the penis to bend when erect, which can make sex embarrassing, painful, or even impossible, depending on the severity.

The actual numbers of men who have Peyronie’s disease is unclear, but studies show that the number is somewhere between 0.3 and 20.3 percent, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. The theory is that the plaque forms as a result of injury or microtrauma to the penis, particularly in men who are genetically predisposed to the disease. The injury can come from procedures such as urethral catheterization, cystoscopy, and transurethral surgery.

“We don’t really know exactly what percent of men have it, because it’s very underreported,” says Petar Bajic, MD, a urologist specializing in male sexual dysfunction and the director of men’s health at the Cleveland Clinic’s Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute.

The good news is that Peyronie’s disease is highly treatable. “There are a number of very effective treatments out there,” says Dr. Bajic. Although surgery tops the list for correcting penile deformity, certain procedures can carry a small risk of erectile dysfunction (ED) after the operation, according to the University of California in San Francisco.

There are also less invasive options that don’t involve surgery. Could a nonsurgical route be a good way for you to go to treat Peyronie’s disease?

Take this quiz to gauge how you might best ease your symptoms.

Question 1

Do you have ED along with Peyronie’s disease?

  • A. Yes
  • B. No
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Christopher Wolter, MD

Medical Reviewer

Christopher Wolter, MD, is an assistant professor in urology at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona. He has been in practice since 2008, specializing in the areas of urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, urologic reconstruction, urologic prosthetics, post prostate cancer survivorship, erectile dysfunction, neurourology and neuromodulation, and overall functional considerations of urogenital health.

Dr. Wolter has been heavily involved in urologic education. He spent the last 12 years heavily involved in resident education and leadership for his department, including the last eight years as urology residency program director. He currently serves as the director of urologic education for the preclinical and clinical rotations for the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine Phoenix, Arizona, campus.

Wolter completed his undergraduate and medical education at the University of Illinois. He then completed his urology residency at Tulane University in New Orleans, followed by a fellowship in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive urology at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

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Erica Patino

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Erica Patino is a freelance writer and editor, content strategist, and usability specialist who has worked for a variety of online health outlets, including Healthline, Sharecare, and Twill Care. She was previously a senior editor at Everyday Health. She is also the founder and editor-in-chief of Hear 2 Tell, a website that covers advances in hearing loss treatment. Patino lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and twin sons.
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