Smoking over 20 cigarettes a day has been shown to reduce both the sperm count and the sperm motility. So stop smoking or reduce it to minimal levels!
Excessive alcohol intake can lead to low sperm counts for a variety of reasons.
The workaholic man can find that fatigue can have similar effects on his interest in intercourse as well as stimulate a desire for excessive alcohol intake.
What will the doctor look for during an examination?
The doctor will pay attention to your general physical condition but of course he will have a careful look at your genitals ! However, examination of the external genitalia in the male rarely shows anything out of the ordinary. Only occasionally are one or both testicles very small or rarely may even be absent. He may also discover that each of the vas deferens are missing - these are the ducts through the sperm must pass during intercourse.Other factors which may contribute to reduced fertility, and which can be identified on examination include:
- Varicocele is a term used to describe a condition where there are varicose veins around the testicle and vas deferens. In the case of varicoceles, there is an increase in the blood flow and temperature around the testicle. Even a small varicocele may be significant and affect sperm production. Fortunately this can usually be corrected by surgery.
- The presence of excessive fluid around the testicle is known as a hydrocele.
- There can occasionally be anatomical defects in the development of the penis. Consequently, during intercourse and ejaculation the sperm cannot be deposited within the vagina very easily. Retrograde ejaculation is a rare condition when some men ejaculate backwards into the bladder. This could be the result of earlier surgery to the urethra (the outflow tube from the bladder).
(published with permission in writing from:http://www.malefertility.co.uk)
