Women are not the only gender that can have problems related to fertility; males can also experience fertility issues or infertility. If you are a couple having problems conceiving a child, you should read the 5 common infertility signs in men we have written.
- Erectile dysfunction
Feeling the desire and sexual urge is a complex process and your nerves, blood vessels, hormones play vital roles in it. Not just bodily parts, but also emotions, mental health, and the brain create an impact on it.
If any of these are not aligned with the overall process, it may lead to trouble having erections. Therefore, occasional difficulties in erections do not conclude that it is ED.
However, symptoms like inability to get an erection and maintaining it, decreased appetite for sex, partial erection, or soft one i.e. not enough for penetration – are consistent for a long period, then one needs to seek professional help for diagnosis and treatment for ED.
Age is not the whole and sole factor in causing trouble getting hard. It may start even earlier in those whose lifestyle includes heavy smoking, drinking, and drug addiction, per a Mayo Clinic publication.
The article titled, “Erectile Dysfunction,” also lists tobacco intake, obesity, and serious chronic concerns to abet ED. These symptoms are diabetes, heart problems, and blood pressure issues.
Besides, psychological problems like depression and stress also evolves to create ED. Again, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, insulin resistance and poo sleeping pattern could worsen erectile difficulties.
Yet medication and medical procedures could also cause ED. Thus surgeries and drugs side effects are to blame too.
- Swollen or painful testicles
A hernia is a condition in men that is generally less likely to be considered as an affecting factor on men’s infertility. However, if it is left untreated for a longer period of time, it may damage the vas deference in the penis, which a tubular shape that carries sperms. The epididymis which is a tubular-shaped organ that is placed on the back surface of both of the testicles and infection in this area can cause the swelling in the testicle. Since this infection is developed in the epididymis, it is called epididymitis.
Men may develop epididymitis from a bacterial infection. Though this is not specific to any age, it is most common for men aged between 20 to 40. The infection may cause blood in the urine and penile discharge. You may also suffer from fever in this case. Besides, Varicoceles are the veins that get enlarged in the scrotum can also cause swelling and pain. Surgery is the option in order to repair the veins and improve the fertility aspect.
- Lower sexual desire
Pituitary glands control the hormone secretion, but when the hormones get imbalanced, it can negatively affect your sexual appetite as well. Low levels of sex hormones like testosterone can cause reduced sexual urges, decreased stamina, weak erection, difficulties in sustaining erections, and reduced sperm count.
Fluctuated levels of testosterone may also cause exhaustion, depression or anxiety, weight gain, and lack of self-confidence.
Zinc deficiency can also lead to hypogonadism, disabling the glands to produce sex hormones. The secretion of ‘the-feel-good-hormones’ like dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins can also get disturbed, leading to a lack of desires and absence of mood.
The harmful formation of globulin which is a sex hormone-binding component that does not allow sex hormones to function though present in the body can also be blamed for little erotic moods. If you are suffering from a chronic illness such as obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, lung disease, etc., then these diseases also can take a toll on your libido.
- Ejaculation Issues
A condition, called Retrograde, is a condition in which the semen goes back into the bladder instead of coming out of the penis. It does not cause any physical harm to the man, but certainly, it can create barriers in the factor of fertility, especially when you are trying to conceive.
If a man is experiencing an issue in ejaculating, it may be the sign that there is a serious cause. It could be a problem related to sperm production or any other physical dysfunctions. Some men face delayed ejaculation.
Some may not have an orgasm at all during intercourse. This happens due to depression or anxiety. In case if someone has gone under prostate surgery, then the natural fertility factor is more like to get affected in such cases.
Though one can have a normal sexual life even after surgery, the chances of fertility get reduced considerably. However, that is not the end of life as treatments are available for those who have gone through surgery but trying to conceive.
- Other aspects
It is not necessary that infertility means only sexual organs will get affected or you will face only sexual health issues. You may face other problems as well such as frequent respiratory infections and incapacity to have the smell.
Since the testosterone regulates facial and body hair growth, there could be a decrease or loss of hair. Sperm count per ejaculation gets considerably low i.e. if the sperm count is less than 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen, then it is an area of worry.
Previous surgeries may create barriers in ejaculation or reduction in sperm count like vasectomy, prostate surgeries, and large abdominal surgeries done for testicular and rectal cancers.
Besides, if you are on certain medications for a longer period of time, then it may also affect the fertility aspect such as abuse of steroids, exposure to chemotherapy and cancer medications, etc.
Apart from erectile dysfunction, you may also face painful intercourse; if that happens, consider it is a warning sign.
Bonus Tips Submitted By Viewers
- Hormonal issues
Hormones play a significant role in regulating an aspect of male fertility. They induce several roles culminating in impregnating women.
These include sperm production, to erection, up until sexual desire.
The responsible hormones here are testosterone, Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Stimulating hormones (LSH), and the Gonadropin-releasing hormone (GnRH).
Low testosterone levels could complicate a lot of factors in men. It’s because this male hormone touches on all aspects of your body.
From the sexual desire for healthy sperm, its testosterone leads to sexual desire, which in turn triggers the romp between the sheets.
Luteinizing hormone is released from pituitary glands. Any excess or deficiency results in infertility. The LH is responsible for testosterone production.
Follicle-stimulating hormone is responsible for initiating and regulating the hormonal cycle.
Lastly, the Gonadotropin-releasing hormone is tasked with the proper functioning of pituitary glands.
As you can see, all four hormones are interconnected and if any one of these hormones is imbalanced, then infertility occurs.
- Low sperm count
Fertility requires adequate sperm. You may ejaculate perfectly but your sperm concentration could be too low to fertilize a mature egg.
Urologists contend that the normal sperm count per milliliter of semen is 30 million. The volume provides adequate concentration to swim up the hostile vaginal environment.
But some people have even lower sperm counts. Any measure below 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen is considered inadequate.
A significant proportion of sperm is wasted due to various reasons. Sperm could be deformed, and hence not healthy to develop into mature sperm.
Still, your sperm must travel to the egg. When you ejaculate, some proportion of the semen could contain sperm that is too weak to swim.
Besides, sperm could swim slowly, irregularly, or in circles, thus unable to reach the cervix.
And the sperm that manages to reach the cervix must attach to the cervical mucus. It requires many nutrients to prick and penetrate the egg crust.
Unless the count is high, the odds of attaining this fate are slim.
- Recurrent respiratory infections
In certain circumstances, recurrent respiratory issues should be a warning indicator of male infertility. One such chest complication is called Kertegers Syndrome.
Kertegers Syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by frequent respiratory infection and infertility.
This condition, per an article published in the PubMed Central publication, is a genetic ciliary disorder comprising chronic sinuses and bronchiectasis. The basic issue causing it is the defective cilia movement.
When the cilia propulsion is poor, extremely low sperm count is detected. There are as many different genes as 50 but they are what makes sperm forward motion possible.
When sperm can’t swim forward, semen is release but the sperm concentration is very low, thus infertility occurs.
This condition is very difficult to detect. But it accompanied by recurring chest infections, ear/nose/throat irritation, and infertility in men.
So what are cilia? This is a sort of microscopic hairlike vibrating structure abundant on the surface of certain body cells.
They emit currents that vibrate in the surrounding fluids and provide propulsion. They line both the male and female reproductive tracts.
In men, the cilia help efferent ductules to generate motile cilia and are located in the distal epididymis, and connect to the testis chambers.
Cilia support sperm propulsion towards the egg from its store.
- Inability to smell
Loss of smell is a clear sign of male infertility. It’s associated with Kallmann Syndrome.
This is a genetic disorder that prevents a boy from starting or completing puberty. If this condition is left untreated, it may result in male infertility later on in life.
Scientists found that one of the receptors sperm use to locate the egg is also present in your nose.
It allows you to detect certain scents.
Thus if you don’t have these receptors, you can’t smell anything. As such, the sperm you produce similarly can’t locate the egg.
This is because, in such conditions, the sperm travels blind, and thus doesn’t reach the egg. And since fertilization happens when the sperm is always in the right location, implantation is impossible.
Here, the sniffing tests an attractive feature in the determination of male fertility. If you can’t smell well, then you could be having Kallmann Syndrome.
This it’s a good signal of male infertility.
- Smoking
Cigarette smoking is sometimes used as a barometer to determine a male’s fertility level. Smoking brings many issues that result in infertility.
This vice is linked to lower sperm count and higher motility rates. Besides, it caused low semen volume.
Heavy smoking is detrimental to the sperm-producing area in the epididymis. It ravages the sperm, whose quality remains poor for months after you stop lighting up.
A Healthline publication notes that cigarettes affect the blood vessels surface, drying and damages its malleable interior lining. This cause inadequate and unreliable blood supply to the penis.
Since erection is a function of blood retention by the penis, erection can’t happen once the arterial lining are damaged. Still, the chemicals languishing in blood hinder blood cells from developing.
An essential ingredient useful for sperm production is usually absent in smokers. Zinc is either too low or non-existent in the blood of men of smoke.
Healthy sperm is thick and whitish, but tests on smokers’ sperm detect watery semen. Meaning that the sperm concentration is very low.
Even when you suffer from infertility caused by smoking, fertility treatment doesn’t bring the desired outcome.
Studies, including one published in journal Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology show that smokers seeking fertility treatment have lower odds of success by up to 44%.
Thus, heavy smokers are likely to be infertile.
In conclusion, we have discussed five major and common signs of impotence in men. We hope we have provided enough evidence to help you look out for the signs and detect them early to prevent impotence.
SIMILAR QUESTION
How Do You Know If A Man’s Sperm Is Fertile?
Introduction
Fertility is an important factor when it comes to conception and having a healthy baby. It is important to determine if a man’s sperm is fertile in order to know if a couple can successfully conceive a child. This paper will discuss the various ways to determine if a man’s sperm is fertile, including semen analysis, hormone tests, and genetic testing.
Semen Analysis
The most common way to determine if a man’s sperm is fertile is to do a semen analysis. A semen analysis looks at the number, shape, and movement of sperm in the ejaculate. It can also determine the amount of semen produced by the male and the presence of any other substances in the ejaculate. A semen analysis can also detect any abnormal sperm that may not be able to fertilize an egg.
Hormone Tests
Another way to determine if a man’s sperm is fertile is to do a hormone test. Hormone tests measure the levels of testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) in the blood. Low levels of these hormones can be an indicator of infertility.
Genetic Testing
Lastly, genetic testing can be used to determine if a man’s sperm is fertile. Genetic testing looks for genetic abnormalities in the sperm that can cause infertility. The test can detect mutations in the sperm that can lead to infertility or genetic disorders in the baby.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are several ways to determine if a man’s sperm is fertile. Semen analysis, hormone tests, and genetic testing are all methods that can be used to determine if a man’s sperm is fertile and able to fertilize an egg. It is important for couples to understand their fertility and the potential factors that can affect it in order to make informed decisions about conception.
