Male Infertility in Charlotte

by | Jan 8, 2016

How to Deal With Male Infertility

If you’re a man who struggles with infertility, you’re not alone. Infertility affects several million couples in the United States every year. You may be evaluated for problems with infertility if you’ve been trying to conceive with your partner for at least a year without protection and with timed intercourse during your partner’s ovulation period.

When a couple is trying to conceive, the man’s fertility and health play an important role. If you’ve been trying to conceive with your partner for close to a year or longer without success, it’s time to seek help.

 

What Doctor Should You See?

While seeing a doctor for your infertility issues may seem discouraging at first, consider that the sooner you address your fertility struggles, the more successful treatment is likely to be. The specialist you should see for male fertility issues is a urologist. This is where your journey will begin to discover if your fertility is a contributing factor in your problems trying to conceive.

The urologist will take your medical history, ask questions, and perform a physical examination. You’ll need to be open and honest with your urologist about any sexually transmitted infections you may have, whether or not you smoke, and any past issues in your sex life. The more information you can provide your urologist with, the better. You’ll also need to give a semen sample for analysis to help determine if there’s a problem.

 

What Treatments Are Available?

If your urologist finds abnormalities in your sperm—such as sperm antibodies present in your body that can attack the sperm, inadequate movement among the sperm, or poor sperm health—or another issue that’s contributing to your inability to conceive, there are treatments available.

Below are some of the causes of infertility and what treatments are available to correct them.

 

  • Hormone imbalance. Lack of testosterone could lead to low sperm count, as testosterone is responsible for making sperm in the male body. Hormone replacement therapy may be needed.
  • This refers to a problem with swelling among the veins that drain the testicle. Luckily this is easily treated, and it is the most common cause of male infertility. Surgery is required to correct the swollen vein.
  • Sexually transmitted infections. These can damage sperm health or block the sperms’ path. Ensure you are under any necessary treatment to help prevent the likelihood of this affecting your fertility.

 

Other Things You Can Do

There are things you can do to ensure your sperm are healthy and that you have a greater chance at conception with your partner. These things include staying away from pesticides and heavy chemicals, as they can hinder sperm production and damage the DNA of your sperm; ensuring your testicles do not get overheated, such as from very hot baths, frequently having a laptop on your lap, and wearing tight underwear; and not smoking.

It’s also important to eat healthily and exercise—these two things will boost your sex drive in addition to nourishing your sperm!

If you struggle with infertility, it’s time to schedule an appointment to see your urologist. He or she can help you determine if something is amiss with your sperm health or if there’s a blocked passage that could be affecting your ability to conceive with your partner.

Visit a specialist in Charlotte today to discover how you can begin your journey to healthy, natural conception with your partner.