Male Infertility Vs Male Sexual Dysfunction – The Knowledge to Avoid the Needless Trauma

There is a common misconception that Male Infertility is a direct fall out of Male Sexual Dysfunction; nothing could be farther from the truth. For the most part, Male Infertility and Male Sexual Dysfunction are two distinct conditions which are caused by diverse factors; the treatments for each of them differ too. Let’s take a look how? It is absolutely normal to for a male to have fertility issues even though he has no problems in his sexual relations with his partner; simultaneously a male having some form of sexual dysfunction may be completely fertile.

Male Infertility refers to the inability to impregnate a fertile woman after a year of unprotected physical relation. In humans, male infertility quite naturally accounts for over 40% of all fertility issues that couples face.

Male Sexual Dysfunction refers to the challenges faced by a male during the course of sexual activity which prevents him from experiencing satisfaction from the act.

Infertility only becomes an issue when the male wants to have children but sexual dysfunction has an adverse impact on the normal adult life of a male. Male Infertility primarily stems from physiological causes while Male Sexual Dysfunctions for the most part have their roots in psychological causes and to a lesser extent on physiological causes.

Let us now look at the main causes of Male Infertility:

1.            Low sperm count

2.            Low sperm motility (movement)

3.            Malformation of the sperms

4.            Volume of semen produced by the body

5.            Age

6.            Lifestyle Fallacies such as smoking, alcohol consumption and the intake of recreational drugs.

7.            Obesity

8.            Blocked Vas Deferens (tubes which carry the sperms)

9.            Varicoceles (Enlargement of the testicular cord due to the accumulation of blood)

10.          Birth defects such as Cryptorchidism (the testes fail to descend from the stomach into the scrotum) and Hypospadias(where the urinary opening is on the underside of the male private part which prevents the sperm from reaching the cervix)

11.          Genetic Disorders

12.          Retrograde Eject (where the muscles of the bladder push the sperm backward into the bladder instead of out). Incidentally retrograde eject is the only cause which is common for infertility as well as sexual dysfunction.

Male Infertilitymay be improved but not reversed through some lifestyle changes such maintaining an ideal weight through a balanced diet and exercise, avoiding smoking, alcohol and recreational drugs and also by reducing stress. Certain drugs may be administered under medical supervision to improve the quality of the semen. Surgical intervention is helpful for reversing the condition of blocked tubes, Varicoceles and Cryptorchidism.

However Assisted Reproductive Techniques such as IUI (Intra-uterine Insemination), IVF(In Vitro Fertilization) and ICSI(In Vitro Fertilization with Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection), are still the best ways of overcoming Male Infertility.

Male Sexual Dysfunction may be broadly categorized under the following three headings:

1.            Eject Disorders :

(i)            Premature Eject – where the eject occurs too soon.

(ii)           Inhibited or Retarded Eject – where the eject is slow to occur.

-              The causes for this could be a lack of attraction for the partner, stress, some past traumatic event which has been deeply embedded in the memory and other psychological factors.

2.            Erectile Dysfunction or the inability to attain or maintain erection.

-              The causes for this are mainly diseases which affect blood flow, nerve disorders, performance anxiety, stress, depression or some penile injury.

3.            Lack of Desire for Sex (Lack of desiring hormones)

-              The most common cause for this is depression, followed by stress, fatigue from overwork and relationship issues. Other causes are substance abuse, alcoholism, hormonal imbalances to some extent and diseases such as diabetes.

Where a certain disease has been identified as the cause of a male sexual dysfunctio the treatment focuses on the disease. Of course, we now have drugs which help to improve the blood flow and help overcome erectile dysfunction. Hormone supplements especially testosterone are effective in certain extreme conditions. However the main supportive treatment for sexual dysfunction lies in psychological therapy and counseling.

In conclusion, we must reiterate that rather than assuming things, it is most advisable to seek the counsel of a trusted medical practitioner who is experienced and qualified to make the correct diagnosis and advise the further course of treatment. There is no stigma that needs to be attached to a person who has to deal with either male infertility or male sexual dysfunction as both are medical conditions with adequate avenues for treatment and improvement. These two conditions are in no way a limitation for a man to live his life completely and happily.

This article is written by Dr Taneja, senior urologist in Delhi deals in Holmium Laser in Urology, endourology, pediatric urology, reconstructive urology, urogynecology (Female urology), neurogenic bladder, Interstitial Cystitis and male infertility expert. Ask your queries, visit at http://www.drrajeshtaneja.com/.