Dr. ABBAS  home.gif (1126 bytes)

                                                                                             



Fractured Penis
Q. I am 32 years old and have a real problem. When I was young I fractured my penis but I don’t remember how. It is difficult to get close to girls in my life. I cannot stay in a relationship much beyond the first intimate contact. I am still a virgin but want a full relationship. Do I need surgery? If so, is there any risk to the feeling in my penis?
Concerned Reader, Songea.

A. Generally speaking most men know when they suffered a fractured penis - it is the kind of thing that tends to stick in a person’s mind. One can only fracture a penis when it is fully erected. The spongy tissue is then filled under pressure with blood and is extremely firm. Most injuries occur, therefore while making love and few men would fail to notice. The penile shaft actually does break and is held together only by the skin, urethra and blood vessels. Unfortunately, the blood tends to clot once a blood flow becomes impossible. This makes surgery extremely difficult. With expert attention the penis can recover but tends to have bends where once there were no bends. I suspect you never actually fractured your penis but are suffering from Peyronie’s disease. The causes of Peyronie’s disease are many and may involve minor trauma during childhood or during sexual play. This would explain your confusion. Tight bends of thickened tissue form on the shaft of the penis, causing it to bend in one direction and making erections either difficult or extremely painful. This can be treated surgically without any risk to the feeling in your penis.

Sex & Nervousness
Q. I am 22 years old and I always get so nervous when I have sex for the first time with someone new. How can I be more relaxed? Secondly, when is it time to tell someone I really like her?
Concerned Reader, DSM.

A. First of all, accept that there will always be some amount of fumbling and awkwardness when you make love with someone new. The following tips will help: Spend lot of time on cuddling and caressing. Think of love making as a whole body activity rather than just genital stimulation. Talk to each other and have a sense of humour if things are not going right. Take it slowly and do not feel that because you have started, you have to have sex. If your partner says let us do this later, agree to it. Be truthful about your own hesitations but make sure you do not voice them as criticisms. If you feel extremely self-conscious or as though you are performing, stop it. It probably means that you have started being sexual too soon.
To your second part of the question, since this is what everyone wants to hear, the answer is as soon as you feel it. You need to understand that, just because you like a person, it does not, unfortunately, guarantee that they will feel the same. They may need more time than you.

Parkinson’s Disease
Q. I am 47 years old and my husband is 55 years old. My husband has been diagnosed to have Parkinson’s Disease. Would you kindly, let us know about it?
Concerned Reader, Dodoma.

A. Parkinson’s is a common chronic disorder of the part of the nervous system responsible for muscular coordination, causing disturbed posture and movements, usually starting in middle age. The cause is low dopamine levels, because of a decay of certain cells in the deeper parts of the brain, with no clear cause; it may be a series of strokes or infection. Lowered dopamine content causes domination by cholinergic cerebral proteins and affects brain cells, causing stiffness, reduced mobility and tremor. The first feature to attract attention is reduced swinging of the arms when walking. Walking becomes slower and more difficult with an increasingly bent posture; sudden turning or stopping is difficult. However, patients may be able to move very rapidly in situations involving stress. Hand movements also become slower and more difficult; handwriting may become smaller and indistinct. The face is mask like, and speech monotonous and indistinct. The tremor is most marked in the hands, which looks like they are counting money. Head and feet may also tremble. The tremor is most pronounced when patient is at rest, and declines when purposeful movements have to be carried out. It is worsened by emotions.
In the later stages the mind can be affected and dementia may occur together with psychological disturbance such as depression, confusion and sometimes even psychosis.
The seriousness of the condition varies from patient to patient; severe cases produce extensive stiffness and complete invalidity possible leading to bedsores and pneumonia. Diagnosis is from the characteristic clinical picture. No supplementary tests can supply further information.