Male infertility is a violation of reproductive function, which is expressed in the inability to have offspring. This is a serious problem for many representatives of the strong half of humanity who have encountered it.
What leads to its development? What are the symptoms of this? And is infertility in men treated? These and many other questions should be answered now.
Causes
They should be discussed first. The list of reasons that can provoke this condition is quite large:
- Varicocele. The probability of infertility with this pathology is very high. It is manifested by vascular expansion of the spermatic cord, which serves as a channel for the removal of sperm. The disease is fraught with fever, and it negatively affects the condition of the seminal fluid.
- Injuries and defects. For example, cryptorchidism. Infertility and difficulties in conception are usually associated with this condition, characterized by an undescended testicle in the scrotum. Also, the cause may be defects in the development of the penis.
- Genetic malfunctions. They are fraught not only with infertility, but also with the birth of unhealthy children with anomalies.
- Sexually transmitted infections, as well as those that are fraught with damage to cells involved in the production of sperm.
- Inflammation in the ureters and prostate.
- Early ejaculation, lack of erection or its insufficiency.
- Weakness of the immune system.
- Malignant or benign neoplasms in the ovaries.
- Regular use of antibiotics and drugs over time.
It should be noted that male infertility accounts for 45% of cases, female - 40%. The remaining 15% are cases of immunological incompatibility of partners, as well as rare forms of the disease.
Secretory infertility
It is necessary to talk about it in more detail. The secretory form of male infertility is characterized by one feature - a man’s testicles do not produce enough seminal fluid. It is also diagnosed if spermatozoa in the structure exhibit defects or their mobility is impaired.
Many of the conditions listed above lead to this pathology. But separately it is necessary to highlight a special risk group - men working in hot shops, as well as abusing a sauna and a bath. They are recommended that any procedures associated with a temperature drop end with a cold shower in order to normalize it in the testicles.
Also, squeezing the perineum with uncomfortable clothes and tight linen can lead to dysfunction of this form.
Professional cycling is also having a negative effect. In men who are fond of him for a long time, infertility is diagnosed many times more often.
Obstructive form
Having talked about the main causes of male infertility, you can study this type of this pathology. The obstructive form is characterized by blockage of the vas deferens. It occurs due to inflammation in the epididymis, because it is fraught with gluing ducts.
Here are the conditions that lead to this problem:
- Untreated injuries of the inguinal region and testicles.
- Damage to the pelvic organs during operations.
- Squeezing cyst of the vas deferens.
- Lack of epididymis.
- Tuberculosis or syphilis.
An important task for the doctor is to determine the extent and location of the obstruction. The treatment is aimed at excision of the obstruction site or the formation of a different path for seminal fluid. This is done by applying anastomoses.
Immunological infertility
In men, this form of pathology also occurs. What is she like? Physiologically, the process occurs as follows: with inflammation, trauma or surgery, the barrier created by certain antibodies is broken. As a result, the immune system, in order to protect itself, begins to produce anti-sperm. And they eventually put a block on their movement.
What happens as a result? Male germ cells lose their activity, and they fail to get in contact with the egg. What is this fraught with? A man with preserved erectile ability cannot, with a full-fledged act, fertilize an egg.
Dropsy of the testicles in men: causes and treatment
Why should this disease be noted with special attention? Because this is a very common pathology, often becoming the cause of male infertility. About 2-4% of men have it. Most often, the cause of the occurrence is difficult to establish, less often it is a bilateral lesion.
Symptoms can be distinguished in such a list:
- Asymmetric enlargement of the scrotum.
- Skin tightness.
- It is difficult to determine the contour of the testis.
- Drawing pains, a feeling of discomfort - it intensifies during a period of physical activity.
Also, as volume increases, more problems associated with erectile function and urination appear.
The reasons may be the following:
- Congenital malformation A man simply has not overgrown the vaginal process of the peritoneum during embryogenesis.
- Inflammation caused by orchitis, orchoepididymitis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, etc.
- Injuries, bites, burns, as well as any other incidents, due to which the integrity of the lymphatic and blood vessels could be impaired.
- Malignant neoplasm.
- Chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular or liver failure.
Having studied the causes of dropsy of the testicles in men, you can tell about the treatment. Asymptomatic, accidentally detected during diagnosis, the disease implies only observation in dynamics.
If the situation is neglected, then a classical intervention is prescribed - the operations of Winkelmann and Bergman, during which the scrotum is dissected and the cystic cyst is removed with further puncture.
There may be a choice in favor of a minimally invasive technique. This is sclerotherapy, ultrasonic dissection, laser tissue dissection, etc.
Aspiration is most rarely prescribed, since this method has a high percentage of relapses and complications. It is shown only to those men whose help in the above ways is no longer possible.
Diagnostics
During its implementation, the patient may ask the doctor whether infertility in men is treated. Everything is individual here, and an approximate forecast will be possible only after the examination.
The main diagnostic method is a spermogram. It must be repeated 2-3 times intermittently.
How much does a spermogram cost? The analysis, which is performed according to WHO standards, is an average of 3,500 rubles. Integrated is not much more expensive - 4500 p.
By the way, if a man decided to be examined because he and his wife are not able to have children and this is a problem for them, it is better to come together. The problem may be in the woman or in the notorious immunological incompatibility.
How to take biomaterial?
So, now you know how much a spermogram costs (analysis in case of infertility will have to be done necessarily). Now we need to talk about the rules of preparation for this process.
It is necessary to refrain from sex or self-satisfaction 2-3 days before the test. But no longer than one week.
The material is obtained through masturbation. You can do this at home, in a familiar environment, or directly in the laboratory. The main thing is that a man passes the material a maximum of an hour after collecting it.
For four days before the procedure, it is forbidden to drink alcohol, take thermal procedures and work in adverse conditions. You can also not use sedatives and sleeping pills. If a man has been treated with antibiotics, then after that you need to wait at least two weeks.
As a rule, the results are ready in a few days.
Principles of Therapy
After diagnosis, which allows you to find out the cause and degree of infertility in a man, treatment is prescribed. Fortunately, modern andrology has great potential for eliminating this problem.
But much depends on the patient. It is necessary to normalize your regimen, get rid of domestic and professional harmful factors, start taking vitamins prescribed by your doctor and eat right.
Also impaired spermatogenesis involves the treatment of genitourinary infections and the mandatory correction of endocrine disorders. In most cases, androgen replacement therapy is prescribed.
When the patient undergoes pathogenetic and etiological treatment, he will be prescribed the use of general strengthening drugs and immunocorrectors.
If a man fails to fertilize a woman a year after treatment, then most likely he will need to undergo hormone-stimulating therapy.
Effective medicines
Talking about whether infertility is treated in men, one should list drugs that have proven themselves well in the fight against this problem. So, the doctor can prescribe such means:
- Orthomol Fertil Plus. This is a vitamin complex that is designed for nutritional therapy of infertility. The composition includes all substances necessary for spermatogenesis.
- Tribestan The composition includes steroidal saponins, which improve immunity, erection, cholesterol metabolism, and also positively affect the cell membrane.
- Sinatra Forte. It is prescribed even for athletes, since it helps to increase endurance, build muscle, increase libido and the duration of an erection.
- Omnadren 250 It contains testosterone esters, so the drug perfectly stimulates and supports sexual function, positively affecting spermatogenesis.
- Proxy Plus. Helps to cope even with varicocele, aspermia, apoptosis and oligozoospermia. Its active ingredient is L-carnitine, which reduces the risk of infertility by about 47%.
- Gammafertil. Improves sperm quality and quantity, normalizes erection, and also increases sperm motility and maintains blood circulation. In addition, the drug removes free radicals from the body and increases the production of testosterone.
- Lutaine. Talking about how to determine infertility in men and further eliminate it, it should be noted with attention and this tool. “Lutain” is a natural remedy that includes more than 700 useful substances, including amino acids, rare hormonal compounds and valuable biological components. Helps to get rid of various problems of reproductive nature.
- "Karliv." Indications for use of this drug are male infertility, obesity, inflammation of the prostate, physical exhaustion, as well as pathologies of the endocrine, cardiovascular systems and liver.
- "Spematon." This combination agent significantly increases fertility and stimulates spermatogenesis and sperm motility. And the substances that make up its structure normalize the production of hormones and the work of the reproductive system.
- "Spermactin." This drug helps to improve the concentration and amount of seminal fluid, and also increases sperm motility. Its action is determined by citric acid, fructose, acetylcarnitine and fumarate.
- "Proviron." This medicine is made on the basis of the gonads. It is an active androgen that does not reduce the synthesis of gonadotropin and is well tolerated by the liver.
- "AndroDoz". The components of this drug improve the quantity and quality of sperm, and also contribute to the production of testosterone and strengthen potency.
The names of these drugs are recommended to remember a person interested in how to check infertility in men. Most likely, to fix the problem, the doctor will prescribe one of the following. Although, of course, there are many other well-established drugs.
Be that as it may, the first treatment will be prescribed to eliminate the cause, that is, to cure the initial disease.
What is the forecast?
Unfortunately, it is impossible to answer the question of whether infertility is treated in men with absolute certainty. Because everything is very individual. However, only a few pathologies provoke absolute infertility. In most cases, fertility is quite possible to restore. Fortunately, modern medicine allows this.
Of course, sometimes treatment takes a long time. For example, stimulating hormone therapy is prescribed for at least 9 months with regular diagnostics for effectiveness.
In some cases, surgery can help. The notorious varicocele, for example, cannot be eliminated otherwise - only through surgery can the venous blood outflow from the testicles be improved, congestion can be eliminated, metabolism normalized and spermatogenesis restored. With congenital anomalies of the urethra, plastic surgery is prescribed. The goal is to restore its normal functioning and form the correct outer hole.
In general, one can discuss for a long time the ways by which in our time it is possible to get rid of this problem. The most important thing is to start treatment on time. Because many of the listed diseases have other health consequences, and not just infertility.