All Posts in Category: Male Infertility

May 25 Comments Off

How Health Affects Male Fertility

Posted by drnudell

How Health Affects Male Fertility

Male fertility can be affected by your lifestyle. If you have a healthy lifestyle, you are more likely to have healthy sperm. Smoking, sexually transmitted diseases, alcohol, and your weight can also affect male fertility. To improve your chances of conceiving a child, make lifestyle changes and commit to living a healthy lifestyle.

Sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia and gonorrhea can be a cause for infertility. To limit your exposure to these diseases, it is important for you to limit your sexual partners, practice safe sex, and commit to a monogamous relationship. Regular use of marijuana, tobacco, and illegal drugs can reduce the quality of your sperm and lead to abnormalities. Stay clear of illegitimate drugs. Such as tobacco, medical marijuana can certainly reduce sperm movement along with result in sperm for being misshapen. Cocaine along with heroin furthermore obstruct healthy sperm. Heavy alcohol consumption adversely affects male fertility. Alcohol in moderation is fine but regularly consuming large quantities can significantly limit the quality and the quantity of your sperm.

Studies have found that lubricants such as KY Jelly and Astroglide can inhibit sperm movement and kill sperm. If you are trying to conceive, it is best to stay from popular lubricants as well as using saliva as a lubricant. If you must use a lubricant, try to use Pre-Seed Intimate Moisturizer which is “sperm friendly.” This product was developed for couples who are trying to conceive but may be experiencing vaginal dryness and not harm the sperm.

Adopting a healthy diet is another factor important to male fertility. Studies have shown that being overweight influences the quality of your sperm and decreases sperm count. To maximize male fertility and sperm health, consume a balanced and healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, and one that is rich in antioxidants. When it comes to fertility, a healthy diet is just as important for men as it is for women.

When trying to conceive, men should avoid hot tubs, hot baths, and saunas. Spending a significant amount of time in hot tubs, saunas, and hot baths with temperatures over 100 degrees can affect the number of normal sperm, interfere with sperm production, and increase the amount of abnormal sperm. You should also avoid wearing tight clothing and use a mini-laptop desk instead of your lap when using your laptop computer.

Lastly, male fertility can be hampered by prescription medications. Anabolic steroids can suppress testosterone, limit male fertility, and also cause harm to the male reproductive system which can lead to irreparable damage. If you are taking prescription medication, it is advised that you speak with your physician and discuss if your medication may cause fertility issues. Prescription medications including antidepressants, antihypertensives, and antibiotics can inhibit sperm production. If male fertility may be compromised due to prescription medication, discuss alternatives and let your doctor know that it is important for you to protect your fertility. Also, prescription medication can affect your libido and cause you to lose interest in sexual relations with your partner. Men who are undergoing chemotherapy and radiation should consider freezing their sperm because cancer treatment can cause damage to sperm cells. If you have not yet started chemotherapy and radiation, your sperm can be frozen and preserved for future use.

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May 18 Comments Off

What Is Andrology? Male Reproductive

Posted by drnudell

Andrology is the study of male diseases and male health, particularly relating to male reproductive problems and urological problems that are unique to men. Andrology addresses issues of infertility in males, erectile dysfunction, impotence, andropause, also know as male menopause, and male contraception. Although not as well known, Andrology is the male version of gynecology, which deals with medical issues of the female reproductive system.

An Andrologist, is a medical doctor who specializes in male reproductive issues and male sexual dysfunction. When treating patients with infertility issues, an Andrologist will devise a treatment plan that is best suited for the patient. Drugs, such as steroids or antibiotics, may be the preferred treatment plan to improve the quality of a patient’s semen. When blockages, that are affecting sperm production is the primary issue causing male infertility, surgery is the preferred method of treatment.

Many factors can have an influence on male infertility with most cases of infertility due to testicular damage and the inability to produce sperm. Additional issues include a low sperm count as well as the quality of the sperm produced, which is commonly referred to as sperm motility. When diagnosing male fertility, nearly 70% of the conditions causing the male patient to be infertile can be diagnosed by examining their medical history, through physical examination, testicular volume estimation, and hormonal and semen analysis.

People often mistakenly associate impotence, known as Erectile Dysfunction, with male infertility; these two conditions are not related. Impotence is the inability to get and maintain an erection, which prevents a male from having satisfactory sexual intercourse. The condition is quite common and it affects a large majority of men who are over the age of 40. Although unable to have an erection, a man who is impotent is still fertile and it is still possible for him to impregnate his female partner through insemination. Male infertility allows a man to have an erection and satisfactory sexual intercourse however, he cannot impregnate his female partner and produce children.
Andrologists treat male patients who are suffering from impotence. They can prescribe patient drugs such as Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis that can help the patient solve his erectile dysfunction issues. Another option is Hormone Replacement Therapy that will increase the testosterone in a male who has low testosterone levels. This may increase their sexual desire and their sexual libido. Andrologists also treat male menopause with testosterone replacement therapy. This treatment raises testosterone levels and restores hormone balance within the body of the male patients much as it does when used in patients who are afflicted with impotency.
Andrology is also used to assist men in family planning. Vasectomies are a form of male contraception that many men utilize when they do not want to have children and is the most effective form of male contraception. A vasectomy is a surgical procedure that blocks the path sperm take from the testicles to the penis. This is intended to be a permanent form of birth control. It can be reversed with a procedure called a vasovasostomy however, it is not always successful in restoring sperm flow.

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May 04 Comments Off

Dr. David Nudell – Male Infertility

Posted by drnudell

Contact Dr. David Nudell today!

Infertility affects 15% of couples attempting pregnancy in the United States. Roughly speaking, about half of these couples will have a male factor involved, and a male factor will be the sole cause of infertility in about 25% of cases. Thus, all men should have at least a basic evaluation by a urologist early in the course of the female’s evaluation to avoid expensive and unnecessary female treatments. Infertility is defined as the inability to achieve pregnancy after 1 year of unprotected intercourse. Many couples seek medical attention prior to waiting a year, especially if the female partner is over 35 years old. Most couples who seek medical assistance for fertility do not require high technology, expensive treatments.

Male factor abnormalities are diverse, but generally include hormonal problems (pre- testicular), intrinsic testicular problems (testicular), and problems with ducts leading from the testes (post-testicular).

When a vasectomy is performed, sperm production does not stop but it blocks the entry of sperm into the urethra. Unlike women, men produce sperm their entire lives. The body eventually breaks down the blocked sperm, it is reabsorbed and new sperm continues to be produced. There are instances when pressure can build up in the tubes behind the vasectomy scar and in some cases, the pressure can build and cause a tiny tubule of the epididymis to rupture. This is generally referred to as an epididymal “blow out.” If an epididymal blow out occurs, scar tissue develops and this becomes a new level of sperm blockage. This is neither painful nor dangerous, but it is significant in that for a vasectomy reversal to be successful, it must be performed in such a way that bypasses this new level of blockage at the epididymal blow out site.

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Apr 20 0

Surgical Treatment of Male Infertility

Posted by drnudell

Infertility is a condition that affects about 8% of men who are of reproductive age. About 1/3 to ½ of these men have a condition that may be reversed with one of today’s modern surgical procedures. In the past few years, there have been advances in medical technology that can help men to become fertile. But, before any surgical procedure is performed on a man, their partner needs to be evaluated as to their reproductive potential.

But, keep in mind there is some debate that is ongoing in the medical community as to whether all of these surgical treatment of male infertility are indeed effective in helping a man to impregnate a partner.

Available Surgical Treatment for Male Infertility

Varicocele repair is an option in about 35% of infertile men. Varicoceles are veins in the scrotum that have become enlarged, and this leads to a decrease in blood circulation, and this in turn hurts sperm production. This is a condition that affects about 15% of all men, and about 40% of men who are infertile.

This can be done as an outpatient procedure, and it will repair damaged scrotal veins. When these are surgically repaired, studies have shown that sperm movement will improve, as well as sperm concentration and structure, all of which increase the odds of getting a partner pregnant. Recent improvement in this procedure involved using a microscope to perform it, and this has led to better outcomes and reduces the risk of complications.

Microsurgery Reconstruction

These procedures are used in cases where there are obstructions causing infertility. Vasectomy reversal is one of these procedures. It is proven to be effective in situations where there is blockage of sperm caused by a vasectomy.

Another microsurgery procedure is epididymovasostomy. It can be performed where there is a blockage locate in the epididymis. This can be the case for those who have a history of injury or a previous infection in the groin area.

All of these procedures can be done with either local, general, or regional anesthesia. Most all of these procedures will be done on an outpatient basis, with the vast majority of men going home the same day.

Reason for Caution

There is some disagreement in the medical community as to the effectiveness of varicocele repair surgery. There have been studies done that show little improvement in the pregnancy rates of partners whose men had this procedure done. Some studies have shown that improvement in men who had the procedure in getting their partner pregnant was only about 1% better than men who had no procedure done.

In short, you need to talk with your doctor to get more information about your case, and see where they stand on this issue. The medical community is still gathering data on this, and the jury is still out. But do keep in mind that all surgery is inherently dangerous, and that includes outpatient procedures including this one. Explore all of your options before you make the decision to go under the knife, or in this case the knife and the microscope.

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Apr 13 Comments Off

Varicoceles

Posted by drnudell

What is Varicocele?

Varicoceles or varicose veins are a widening of the veins along the cord that holds up a man’s testicles. It is a common condition that affects 15% of the male population and 40% to 50% of the infertile male population.

Symptoms

Varicocele usually does not have any symptoms and there is usually no need for treatment. A physician frequently discovers varicocele during a routine examination or a fertility check. When symptoms are present, they can include the following:

Pain ranging from dull to sharp and a feeling of heaviness and discomfort
Swelling
Infertility

Treatment

Varicocelectomy surgery is the primary treatment for Varicocele. Anesthesia is used to numb the area. The urologist will make a cut in the lower abdomen and tie off the abnormal veins allowing blood the area into the normal veins. The surgery is usually quick and efficient and the patient can leave the hospital the same day as surgery. After the procedure, the patient is advised to leave an ice pack on the area for 24 hours.

Varicocele Embolization is an alternative surgery and does not require an overnight stay in the hospital. This is an image-guided procedure where the cut is much smaller than a surgical cut allowing the patient to heal faster. A catheter is placed into a vein in the groin or neck area and using the patients x-rays as a guide, the doctor moves the catheter into the varicocele. A tiny coil passes through the catheter into the varicocele allowing the coil to block blood flow to the bad vein and sends it to the normal veins. After the procedure, the patient will need to place ice on the area and wear scrotal support for a short period.

Urologist Silicon Valley

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