Male Infertility and Treatment Options
The inability to conceive would be a nightmare for a lot of couples. This could prove to be very disheartening for them as it challenges their desire of taking their family lineage further. At the same time, it is a ghastly spread belief that only women face difficulties in conceiving whereas in reality there are equal chances of both, male and female being infertile. Let us explore a little more about male infertility today.
Male infertility: signs and symptoms
For a couple to be called infertile, they should have engaged in unprotected sex for at least a year and not be able to conceive. According to the best sexologist, the following symptoms can be observed by males to recognise infertility. The presence of these symptoms individually may not be a huge problem but their existence together might be alarming and hinting towards infertility. Hence, a closed check should be kept on these. A few signs and symptoms are as follows:
- Sexual dysfunction
The most common symptom and one of the first symptoms that you may begin to notice could be sexual dysfunction. This may include erectile dysfunction but it is not necessarily limited to it. Erectile dysfunction is the inability in sustaining an erection. But the difficulty in being aroused itself could be a warning sign. Sexual dysfunction may also include reduced desire and issues with ejaculation. According to the best sexologist, sexual dysfunctions may also be accompanied by the inability to find the things arousing which one may have enjoyed earlier.
- Change in the physiology of reproductive organs
There could be a change in the shape and size of the reproductive organs in males. It does not have to be restricted only to the penis but it may also be concerned with testicles. Any kind of swelling, lumps, or pain would be alarming concerning male infertility.
- Change in secondary sexual characteristics
When people hit puberty, primary sexual characteristics start appearing. These are clear indications of the body becoming mature for reproduction like first ejaculation and first menstruation. With gradual physical development, secondary sexual characteristics appear overtime. These are physical characteristics that are seen only in adults. In males, it includes the development of facial hair, body hair, and hair in the pubic areas. A sexologist specialist advises males to keep a check on these characteristics. Hormonal or chromosomal difficulty and abnormality may lead to decreased secondary sexual characteristics.
One more thing that should be checked by males suspecting infertility is abnormal breast growth. That could be one of the signs of hormonal imbalance.
- Lowered sperm count
A lower sperm count in semen could be one of the signs of infertility. If the sperm count observed is less than 39 million sperms per ejaculation, it could hint towards infertility. If the sperm count observed is lower than 15 million per millimetre of the semen, that is also a sign to be looked out for.
Let us look at possible treatments for male infertility as prescribed by a sexologist specialist.
Treatment options for male infertility
The causal factors of male infertility are used in numbers. There could be several things that might be affecting this on a daily basis that may go unnoticed. This makes people more responsible for the lifestyle choices that they make. Right from the consumption of hard drinks and drugs, dangerous and hazardous working conditions, various things could contribute to infertility. Hence, these individual factors need to be discussed with your sexologist before the diagnosis of infertility and further seek treatment for it. These are the following treatment options available for male infertility:
- Treatment of bacterial infections
Bacterial infections could be one of the reasons leading to sexual dysfunction. They may also affect the quality of sexual intercourse. Hence, to begin treatment, a careful analysis of any pre-existing infection is needed. It can be treated with simple antibiotic courses.
- Treating sexual dysfunctions
Multiple psychological factors related to sexual performance and self-esteem may lead to sexual dysfunction. A lot of lifestyle factors may also affect it. Analysing these things not only with your sexologist but also with a counsellor helps in understanding the factors one can improve on to get desired results. There could also be medication prescribed to increase sperm count.
- Hormone treatment
Hormone replacement therapies to get the desired quantity of hormones in your body might be prescribed. These therapies help in increasing the sperm count as well as reduce the chances of sexual dysfunction.
- Surgery
Surgery might be required to clear obstructed veins carrying sperms. Alternatively, sperms can be extracted through methods including assisted reproductive technology.
To know more about causal factors of male infertility, visit Apollo Clinic Guwahati.
