Retrograde ejaculation: what is it and how can it be treated?
The human body is imperfect. Humans may seem to be the pinnacle of evolution, but we also have our shortcomings. The male reproductive and urinary systems intersect in one organ, the urethra. Yes, you heard it right: male semen and body secretions use the same organ.
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However, in a healthy man, urine and semen do not mix, and this intersection of the two body systems does not harm him. Why? It”s all about a special sphincter that “switches” channels during certain actions. It closes the vas deferens during urination and the urethra during orgasm. Thus, the two liquids do not mix.
As you may have guessed from the introduction, this article describes a special case in which this same switch muscle ceased to function properly. This diagnosis is called retrograde ejaculation. It is often not treated at all because it is not a serious condition and does not pose a health threat. Because the muscles are inactive, the sperm “falls” into the bladder and mixes with the urine. Men with this diagnosis have little or no sperm during orgasm—this is called a “dry orgasm.”
Main manifestations
The main symptom of retrograde ejaculation is the absence or very small amount of sperm during orgasm. This is because all the sperm ends up in the bladder and not the urethra. In the bladder it mixes with urine. If your urine is cloudy and white after sex, this may indicate retrograde ejaculation.
Another symptom is male infertility. This is a conditional name, which in itself means that the male is capable of producing offspring. Sperm is present but not released during sex, making conceiving a child very difficult.
How does this affect fertility?
Reasons
Testosterone and erection problems are often caused by psychological reasons, while retrograde ejaculation is caused by physical reasons.
Damage to the bladder muscles can lead to loss of function of the sphincter muscle, which is responsible for pushing sperm into the urethra. It may also be a side effect of medications prescribed to treat an enlarged prostate or high blood pressure. It can also be caused by long-term use of antidepressants.
In addition to the above, the cause may be a disease or damage to the nervous system, e. g.
Surgery on the prostate, bladder or testicles can also damage the bladder valve. This is one of the main causes of retrograde ejaculation.
Risk factors
To summarize the above. The following medical conditions or events are potential causes of retrograde ejaculation:
Read also: Female ejaculation — why is it not only a male prerogative?
Today, many people are shocked to hear that women ejaculate, but the practice was described in the 4th century in China, where it was believed that the fluid was secreted.
- Diabetes mellitus;
- Multiple sclerosis;
- Parkinson”s disease;
- Spinal cord injury;
- Surgery on the prostate or bladder;
- Certain medications to treat an enlarged prostate, high blood pressure, or depression.
Diagnostics
How can I self-diagnose this disorder? First, pay attention to the amount of semen during orgasm.
If there is none or very little, then this is the so-called “dry orgasm”. This is one of the first calls to contact a specialist. Dry orgasm is not necessarily the cause of retrograde ejaculation, but in any case you should consult a doctor.
The doctor will examine you and may ask about the following possible symptoms:
- Lack of ejaculation during orgasm;
- Cloudy urine after orgasm;
- Unsuccessful attempts to conceive a child.
Feel free to talk about it. Tell me more:
- How often do you experience dry orgasm?
- About the medications you are taking.
- What cancer treatments have you had?
Doctors usually ask for a urine test immediately after masturbation to check the amount of sperm in the urine. If there is a significant increase, it is likely the same diagnosis.
Treatment options
Retrograde ejaculation
However, there are exceptional cases where the patient actually suffers from this disease and there are medications available for this.
The bladder neck muscles contract during ejaculation with the help of various medications. Here are some of them.
- Brompheniramine
- Chlorpheniramine;
- Ephedrine;
- Imipramine
- Midrin
- Phenylephrine;
- Pseudo-etherin.
If surgery or treatment has caused you nerve or muscle damage, medications are unlikely to help you.
Do you want to conceive a child, but the prescribed medications are not helping? Talk to your healthcare provider first. They usually have advice for such situations. In most cases, artificial insemination is recommended.
Potential problems
In most cases, this diagnosis does not have complications or other negative consequences other than psychological ones. That is, the only negative is if you are psychologically upset by the lack of semen during sex. There is no pain or health problems.
Conditional infertility, as described above, may only be a problem if you want to become a father.
What to watch out for
The first sign is a seedless orgasm. If you suddenly lose sperm during sex, make an appointment with a doctor and talk to him. This diagnosis is not a serious reason and is unlikely to bother you, but it is never a bad idea to consult a doctor.
If you are trying to have a baby, your doctor will give you several options.
