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Ossification is unusual
Let’s take a step back to some basic anatomy so that everyone understands
why penile ossification is an unusual thing. First thing to clear up is this:
Despite a popular name for an erection (boner) suggesting otherwise, there
aren’t actually any bones in the penis. It wouldn’t be able to function in the
way that it does if bones were getting in the way. (To be fair, it is suspected
that humans did have a little free-floating penis bone many millions of years
ago – but that doesn’t figure into this discussion.)
Because the penis lacks bones but has a great deal of tissue, it is able to
grow and shrink as the occasion demands. Sometimes it grows a lot,
sometimes not so much. It also is able to bend this way and that, and it has a
certain degree of flexibility – all of which wouldn’t be possible if it were
boney.
According to some sources, there have been only about 40 reported cases of
penile ossification in the medical literature, dating back to around the 1820s.
In the case that got so much attention recently, a man in his 60s went to a
doctor because he was having some knee pain after suffering from a fall.
Naturally, the doctors took an x-ray to see if they could find any breaks or
fractures. Imagine their surprise when the x-ray showed a considerable
amount of boniness in the man’s penis. This had been causing him some
penis pain, but not to the extent that he wished to consult with a doctor.
(Men often are hesitant to bring matters involving the penis to the attention
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of their doctor; this can lead to penis health issues that could otherwise be
avoided.)
Because penile ossification is so rare, doctors don’t know what causes it;
they just know that for some reason, calcium starts forming deposits in the
penis shaft. It is more often associated with Peyronie’s disease, a condition
in which plaque builds up, causing the penis to bend and form an extreme
and uncomfortable curvature. Peyronie’s disease is often the result of a
trauma to the penis, and this is also the case for many instances of penile
ossification.
Is there anything that can be done to stop or reverse penile ossification? Yes,
especially if a doctor is consulted early on. Penis pain may be alleviated by
the use of painkillers, while a decision is made on the best way to treat the
ossification. In many cases, surgery will be needed to attack the ossification
at its heart.
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