This page discusses the condition of frenulum breve of the penis. Its effects have apparently never been accurately described or fully understood.

A psychologist at the Institute of Sexual Research in Hamburg was of the opinion that any sexual effects from the frenulum breve were a delusion. He added "Do you realise how many patients I have seen that have had their frenulum removed because they thought this was the cause of their difficulties". (story continues)

Psychologists could note: - if such experiences are to be understood as delusions, and many other men have had similar fantasies,... then it must, at least, be understood as a common delusion.

In 1779 Diderot wrote - "Its extreme sensitivity shows that it must be covered with a quantity of nervous papillae; & perhaps for these reasons it merits more attention on behalf of the anatomists than they have given it up until present;" - In 1958 Grewel wrote "It cannot be masculine pride alone ... which has caused the phenomenon to be neglected by male physicians and psychoanalysts, ... resulting in a general or collective repression of the phenomenon." Though he was referring principally to frenular rips, modern medical literature (Pienkos, Whelan) confirms that "The existence of a short frenulum is noted in few urological text books." (Whelan)

Medical, sexual or public information rarely acknowledge the condition. There are no statistics except on beef cattle and pigs. There are even a small collection of studies concerned with the early prevention of such problems among farm animals. Perhaps this is because "Copulation failure in food animals can be economically devastating to producers." (G. St Jean)

The only pictures which can depict frenulum breve must show the foreskin in the retracted position. A quick glance imparts a false impression of the effects of this condition.

penis during erection

Thus, the usual description of this short membrane, in practical use by specialists and even in some medical texts, is that it causes the glans to bend downward.

Recent specialised medical texts suggest that it is the curvature of the glans which causes pain (Chitale, Whelan,). It appears the distortion of the bending phallus and glans is so shocking that some doctors speculate that this is the origin of the pain, without ever asking the patients concerned.- It is in fact the tension of the frenulum pulling on the glans which hurts, and not the bending glans.

___________________

Men who have this condition often do not understand it themselves.

Anatomically speaking this is a most devious condition. To visually identify a frenulum breve when erect, involves the carrier in what are to him unnatural contortions.

If the frenulum is too short it pulls the foreskin forward, therefore it is hidden underneath and behind the foreskin.

When the penis is erect, to hold the foreskin backwards creates a feeling of tension. To hold the foreskin retracted, endure the tension and then turn the phallus in order to be able to look sidewards at this curious spring structure, is a contortion which Houdini would have been proud of.

Due to the difficulty involved for the carrier in identifying his own condition, (and the almost complete lack of accurate information or education on the condition and its treatment), men often feel pain or discomfort without realising its cause.

If the problem is recognised its nature is often interpreted incorrectly and can result in false impressions such as the redundant prepuce (Swartz).or "there's too much skin" or "it just gets in the way all the time" (private mail). Often merely on the basis of the frustration this causes, circumcision is requested.

___________________

With retraction of the foreskin always hurting and the foreskin sliding forward again, the subject sees the repeated recovering of the glans as unsuccessful, disappointing , frustrating, ... depending on sexual attitudes and education its could be experienced as something which isn`t meant to be done, or even something which it is wrong to do ... (compare this with phimotic ring where the foreskin simply can not be retracted, it cant be done, there`s no question about right or wrong - possibly there are similarities here between all the conditions which cause pain: fr. br., relative phimosis, skinbridges.)

___________________

The Delsuion is confirmed.

Urologists assume that the frenulum breve starts causing pain or difficulty first as an adult during sexual intercourse and previously it had been no problem, - they are unaware that the patient has avoided this pain during masturbation throughout his development years. Deeper questioning seems inappropriate probably out of tact and simply because it's not the urologists job to understand and counsell on psychosexual problems. Accordingly urologists are unaware of any long term sexual problem.

It is not suprising that many men go to the psychologists ... however here the patient will be further confused; the psychologal literature contains little reference (only Grewel) to the idea that an anatomical malformation of the prepuce could have a psychosexual effect - The psychologists approach is that psychosexual problems are based on parental and early environmental influences.

____________
CONCUSION
So it is clear that someone here is under a delusion:- Grewel and I maintain it is the medical profession and the psychologists; and they maintain it is men who think they have sexual problems due to frenulum breve. Whichever way, it is a common delusion.