What Are The Symptoms Of Infertility In Males?
Male infertility is not easily identifiable until a couple is unable to conceive. This is because in most cases of infertility, there are no or little physical signs of the disorder. Therefore, if you and your partner have been trying to get pregnant for over a year now and have not conceived, there is a possibility that one of you is having reproduction problems. Male infertility can be caused by several factors including low sperm count, abnormal sperms, ailments such as varicocele, sperm production problems and blockage to name a few. As a result, a man may experience a number of symptoms which are either related to their sex drive, physical features, and ejaculation problems. We will look at some of the common warning symptoms of infertility a male may exhibit and what they imply.
Pain And Swelling In The Testicles
Pain and swelling in the testicles can be caused by a variety of conditions and in most cases, they are usually emergencies. The pain can either be localized at one point or generalized throughout the groin region. So, if you do experience any swelling or pain in the testicles, you should seek medical attention immediately for diagnosis and treatment. This is because the underlying factor could cause grave complications including male infertility and irreversible damage to the testicles. Swelling and pain in the testicles could arise from infection in the epididymitis, twisted testicle within the scrotum, a hernia in the testicular region, varicocele, and buildup of fluid in the testicles.
Ejaculation And Orgasm Problems
In normal occurrences, during coitus, after sexual satisfaction, a man experiences an orgasm followed by ejaculation. The ejaculate is made up of semen and millions of sperms. If one has problems with reaching orgasm and ejaculating normally, that could be a sign of male infertility. Also, if the ejaculate is small in quantity or you hardly ejaculate, it could be an indication of infertility. Ejaculation disorders can be caused by a number of factors such as retrograde ejaculation, where the semen goes back into the bladder instead of being released, neurological problems, obstruction of ejaculate from being released, spinal cord injuries, undescended testes, and erectile dysfunction.
Low Sperm Count
Infertility due to low sperm count is attributed to the fact that there are not enough viable sperms to fertilize a female egg. The low sperm condition is known as azoospermia. The normal range of sperms per milliliter of semen ejaculate is 20-150 million sperms. If a male’s milliliter of ejaculated semen contains less than 15 million sperms, then that male probably has a low sperm disorder. Common causes of azoospermia include; infections of the testicles, genetic abnormalities, hormonal imbalance, vasectomy, congenital absence of vas deferens, exposure to toxic environmental substances, and abuse of illicit drugs.
Smaller Size Than Normal Testicles
Males with smaller than normal testicles suffer from a congenital disorder known as Klinefelter’s syndrome. It is a condition whereby the male has “XXY” chromosomes instead of the normal “XY” chromosomes. Due to the small size of the testicles, they are unable to produce enough testosterone levels, which is required for the development of male characteristics. As a result, males with this symptoms also have firm and constricted testicles, which could be a major factor of internal problems within the testes.
Changes In Sexual Desire
If a man has problems with his sexual desire or rather a low libido, then there must be a bigger problem causing the symptom. Sexual desire is linked to hormones, meaning if one has a hormonal imbalance, then their sexual drive will be implicated. Therefore, changes in virility could be an indication of Male infertility problems. Causes of hormonal imbalance are pituitary tumors, abuse of steroids and congenital or acquired lack of luteinizing hormone.
Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction is the inability of a man to achieve and maintain an erection. This is often a result of hormone problems, for example, low levels of essential male hormones, which then translates into Male infertility. It accounts for 20-25% of couples with infertility problems. Erectile dysfunction can result from a spinal cord injury, conditions such as diabetes and arteriosclerosis, a venous leak, and psychological factors including stress and depression.
Conclusion
Male infertility is as common as female infertility. Amongst many of the couples trying to conceive, about 15-20% of those couples are unable to make babies due to infertility. It is difficult to identify males with infertility problems, but the above symptoms are some of the common warning signs. So, as a couple, you should discuss the probability of infertility if you’ve been trying for a year without conceiving yet and find a way forward in dealing with the issue.
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