Highlights of Traction

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Angus

 The following is a one-post compilation of highlights from the Traction thread. Individual posts have been copied into this page and no grammar or wording has been changed from the original post. Entire posts have been copied where possible to retain the context of the original post. The posts are entered in chronological order from the top of the page to the bottom, so the oldest posts will be read first and the most recent posts will be read last. Some of the first posts appearing in this compilation were copied from various threads as they were posted before the creation of the Traction topic. This IS a work in progress and will be added to and edited so check back often.


Liam       6/13/07 at 09:40:28 PM

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Due to the interest in this subject, and a specific request from Chad, we have decided to make "Traction" a separate topic.

It has long be purported the use of traction (penis stretchers) could help Peyronies Disease.  This was met with a fair amount of skepticism given the fact it was advertised along with what seems outrageous claims of penis lengthening.

Within the last couple of years, however, there have been some positive reports on the forum.  Mind you, no one has claimed a cure.  The reports have mostly been regaining lost length.  There were also discussions of the possibility of plaque reshaping.

The downside is the length of time it is recommended to be worn.

In June of 2006 Dr. Laurence A. Levine, a well known and respected Urologist and Peyronies Disease Specialist, announced beginning clinical trials with a major brand of penis extension devices (traction device).  The device, as prescribed by Dr. Levine, is used in combination with drugs and supplements.  Below is a copy of a press release by FastSize and Dr. Levine.

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Leading Urologist Expresses Interest In Traction Device For Peyronie's Patients
Main Category: Urology / Nephrology News
Article Date: 29 Jun 2006 - 0:00 PDT
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Dr. Laurence A. Levine of Urology Specialists of Chicago, Ill is predicting wider availability of new Peyronie's Disease treatments from the medical profession following meetings at the annual American Urology Association last week.

Peyronie's Disease is caused by the build up of scar tissue in the penis. The scar tissue or "plaque" prevents expansion of the tissue of the penis to which it is attached during the erection process resulting in narrowing, shortening, and most commonly unnatural bending in the penile shaft. The disease affects as many as 10-12 percent of American males. Mechanical traction devices have been used in Europe for a number of years to stretch the penile tissues and straighten them over time. Levine's research will seek to reproduce and study this process in the U.S.

"I have had discussions with other researchers about the use of drugs such as Verapamil, which is injected into the scar tissue to modify the abnormal scarring process. There was a great deal of interest in use of the FastSize Extender as a splint, which could be used to remodel the scar tissue by stretching the penile tissue," said Levine.

"Penile traction devices, vacuum therapy devices, both with and without the use of drugs such as Verapamil and Interferon are holding out the promise of significant correction of penile deformity caused by Peyronie's Disease. We believe that viable treatment modalities that can become standards of care for this problem are now on the horizon for American patients," Levine added.

Levine is a leading American thought leader in urology research and practice. He is currently heading up trials on the FastSize Extender from FastSize LLC to further establish the efficacy of this device as a treatment for Peyronie's Disease. The device is an American-made version of similar devices used for several years in Europe. The trial, which is now under way in Chicago, will report its results later this year.

"We are very happy to note that the medical profession is taking an interest in our Extender device and the many contributions it can make to the treatment of Peyronie's," said FastSize President Brian Walter.

FastSize LLC
http://www.fastsize.com


SOURCE:  http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=46138

There have been many good posts on this subject under different topics.  In the near future, we will be highlighting some of them here.  

MOST IMPORTANT are the NEW POSTS TO COME from OUR MEMBERS!!!!


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PainIsGrowth     « Reply #209 on: April 29, 2007, 02:34:00 PM » Quote  

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This may seem like a question out of frustration, but here it goes.  I've read as much as I can about the venous leak or (veno-occlusive disorder) and I can't seem to find any indication that people have ever improved from this condition.  I know that ED which is caused from arterial hardening can sometimes be cured if physical fitness is greatly improved, and plaque that is damaging the arteries reverses.  I'm just wondering whats the deal with the venous leak.  It seems like the worst side effect from the peyronie's, that I have experienced.  Somehow the plaque in the penis tissue is interferring with the expansion of the tissue, which doesn't allow the veins to pinch off.  This makes the blood that rushes to the penis leak out faster than it should, so an erection never gets completely hard, and dies quickly without constant stimulation.  I'm wondering if it should be possible for this type of condition to ever improve, albeit slowly over time, if the internal plaque somehow resolves.  I have been contemplating a traction device to improve the slight curvature and major size loss, and read that Dr. Levine is conducting a clinical study on the device that seems promising.  I'm just wondering if a traction device theoretically could improve venous leak erectile dysfunction.  Just hypothesizing, if the device really does induce penile tissue growth from the constant tension, that new tissue should be free from plaque and healthy.  Wouldn't that new healthy tissue maybe increase the ratio of elastic tissue to scar tissue enough to improve ED?  I feel like i'm pulling at strings, but I'm trying to stay positive and look for possible leads.  
I know Levine is recommending the FastSize device, and the European studies used a device made by the SizeGenetics company (not 100% sure).  Anybody have recommendations between these two?




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Liam        « Reply #210 on: April 29, 2007, 04:14:37 PM » Quote  

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Just speculating, the traction may reshape the plaque, elongating and thinning it.  It seems plausible the ED could improve under these circumstances.  However, it could get worse or not change at all.  I am doubtful about regrowing new tissue, although, I don't discount it altogether.

I have convinced myself to try using mine again.  I have a $50.00 Ebay special.  I may break down and buy a fancy one.  The noose is the part that is the most uncomfortable.

We live in the gray area.

Liam


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Hawk        « Reply #211 on: April 29, 2007, 08:33:12 PM » Quote  

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Pain,

You ask some good questions.  I share some of your ignorance on these issues.  In fact I really question if anyone has in-depth complex answers to the complexity of ED issues.  I do have some thoughts and a few things I think I know.

Venous leakage:  It seems clear to me that venous leakage could be the result of at least a few different situations, each with a somewhat different solution.  I think the first thing we need is a clear, complete definition of venous leakage and its several causes.  Generally it only means that blood flows out of the penis as fast or faster than it flows in.  Since normal erection results from nitric oxide relaxing the arteries and allowing blood to rapidly flow into the penis, and since this enlargement is really what squeezes the veins and further seals them off, how much of your ED is really venous leakage?  How much of it is really reduced arterial inflow? The very fact that stimulation causes the process to work, makes me conclude that you have no venous leakage that is the result of plaque that is preventing veins from being squeezed.  You have no valve issues in the veins (I am not sure valves are ever a factor in venous leakage ED).  Under stimulation, the entire process works.  

This tells me that possibly you have a normal cascading series of events that goes something like:
Stimulation cause a barely adequate flow of blood to start an erection.
The veins get put under enough pressure to reduce outflow and you get more of an erection.
When the physical stimulation stops, the psychological stimulation is not adequate to maintain in flow.
Your erection reduces
Your anxiety level pushes more adrenalin (strong vaso-constricting erection killer) in to your blood.
The inflow reduces more and the veins are now decompressed to speed the outflow as the inflow reduces.

Your psychological distraction from sex (evaluating your erection, thinking of peyronies), and your adrenalin producing anxiety, probably contribute to undermining the process from beginning to end.

Now, ... I could be full of crap, but I for one cannot come up with any other theory that adequately explains your scenario and until I hear one, this is where I cast my vote.

Solutions:
Reduce anxiety thus reducing adrenalin
Assist arterial dilation with a minimal dose of an ED drug (Viagra, Cialis, Levitra, HGW, Arginine) in some combination.
Reduce outflow with a constriction ring.

Remember, just because a constriction ring works does not mean you have scar tissue causing the veins to leak.  It often just means that it gives the slow arterial inflow time to catch up and stay ahead of the process.

Also consider that is can loosely be said that we all have venous leakage every time every erection goes down.  That is not due to scar tissue placing support around the vein that prevents its constriction however.

Traction Devices - I have read contrary opinions on whether stretching scar tissue on burn victims actually causes the tissue to stretch via producing more cells or via stretching the existing cells and making them thinner. it seems that this would be easy for experts to investigate and solve.  If it has not been solved then we also do not know which of these penis traction and the VED may do.  That is key to speculating on your traction and new tissue question. (Bold font not in original post; it is placed here to highlight the text that deals with traction specifically).



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wantitstr8         « Reply #32 on: June 03, 2006, 08:58:39 AM » Quote  

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Joshua or Hawk-

47 Year old Peyronies Disease sufferer here.  Presented with pain and curvature about 6 months ago...perhaps after a frisky episode with the wife...although I have no specific memory of an injury.  I also suffer from Plantar Fibromatosis so I may be genetically predisposed to Peyronies Disease.  If possible, I would like to see a couple topics started.  First, the use of Pentox together with sympathetic therapies...ie. arginine and VED.  I am convinced after talking to my Uro that effective treatments for this disease will likely be a combination of oral medications and mechanical therapy...at least until the medical community can get the magic bullet out of the holster.  The other topic that I think may become useful (and much more active) is the discussion of mechanical traction devices.  My Uro, Dr. Levine in Chicago is beginning a study of mechanical traction devices to alleviate the curvature with Peyronies Disease (and potentially restore lost length and girth).  Based on my discussions with him, he sincerely feels this therapy holds some promise.  Of course, you are likely aware of the study in Spain that showed significant improvement in Peyronies Disease sufferers by using this device.  I understand Dr. Levine will begin the actual clinical study this month.  

Just as a side note, I had an appointment with him the day after he returned from the Atlanta conference and he was really quite excited by some of the activity and interest generated at the Peyronies Disease sessions.  I asked him about any new ideas that were brought forward and he said he felt there may be a new drug and protocol by the end of the year that may be "very significant".  I think it related to the collagenase treatment but I plan to inquire further at my next visit (next week)...I'll keep everyone informed.  Thanks...




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Chad               « Reply #274 on: April 20, 2007, 02:42:22 PM » Quote  

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Rico,

Thanks for the reply. I've got another appointment May 3rd with the urologist I saw last time. I'll give him a copy of Dr. Levine's protocol and see if he can get around his own ego and use it. I've already bought the l-arginine and I'm going to order the Fastsize today. The Fastsize website looks like the typical
penis increase crap that you get spammed with, but I have seen that there has been research using traction devices in Europe along with Dr. Levine's research.  It's worth a try!

Chad


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j          « Reply #135 on: April 26, 2006, 10:09:29 PM » Quote  

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Thanks for the detailed reply.  I note that the difference between a therapeutic effect and "irreversible" cell damge is about 5 degrees C. Scary, but probably manageable somehow even without the fantastically expensive microwave unit.

Your point 4 is of course spot-on.  This one could sink like a stone because of the potential liablility issue in offering this treatment. Which is probably why the experiment was done in Italy anyway.

As far as hyperthemia "making sense", in some previous discussions I've seen it was suggested that it might be breaking some of the molecular bonds in the cross-linked collagen, the way that cooking makes meat tender.

If the goal is simply to break those bonds or get them to realign longitudinally, then I still wonder why traction hasn't be seriously tried.  It appears that Dupuytren's tissue can be stretched, by using a rather medieval-looking device called the Digit Widget: http://www.handbiolab.com/digitwidget.html




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Toronto      « Reply #934 on: May 27, 2007, 02:16:57 PM » Quote  

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A recent press release from fsPhysioMed states that its mechanical penile traction device, the Extender, has been demonstrated to produce from 10 degree to 45 degree improvements in Peyronie's curvature. Is anyone familiar with such treatment?



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Chad             « Reply #935 on: May 27, 2007, 04:43:02 PM » Quote  

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Toronto,

PhysioMed and FastSize are the same company. If you go to the FastSize website you'll see it's one of those penis enlarger sites. They are going to have a separate site for P.D. & E.D. patients soon and that's where PhysioMed comes in. A noted P.D. doctor in Chicago, Dr. Levine, is recomending the F.S. extender as part of 3 part strategy to overcome Peyronie's. I've been using the extender and noticed some gain in girth, firmness of erections & a little in length. I haven't noticed any change in curve yet.  
I haven't had the Verapamil injections yet either, which is part of his strategy.

It kind of pisses me off that guys without P.D. may really be able to increase their penis size with one of these things.  I'd be happy with my non curved average penis that I had last year. No, I'm not bitter.

Chad




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Chad               « Reply #2 on: June 21, 2007, 12:09:13 PM » Quote  

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This my answer to PM that I've modified a little and decided it would be a good idea to post:

I definitely think that the fastsize helped my erections firmness and I regained girth. It's harder to tell if I've gained length or if my curve has changed much. I've only been using it 5 or 6 weeks at the most. The men in Dr. Levine's study used it 6 months. I wear the extender in down position most the time since I were it under my clothes during the day. You add small segments to the extender weekly so your stretch gets progressively longer.

If you do get one buy some locktite. There are 2 little metal pivot pieces that can unscrew themselves during the day and fall off. I lost a couple! You can go to fastsize.com and see the product & a demo. Not too much info on Peyronie's but in their chat area users have posted ideas to make wearing the device more comfortable. This is an ADULT site and if you're easily offended don't go! I talked to someone that worked at FastSize and he said they were working on separate site for medical usage.

Also, mention Dr. Levine and they give like a $30 discount or they were when I got mine in May.




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