Under normal circumstances, a man can release a half to one teaspoon of semen when ejaculating. However, in retrograde ejaculation, there is significantly low or even a zero amount of semen passing through the urethra and out of the penis. This happens when the muscle sphincter that is supposed to cover the bladder during ejaculation does not contract properly allowing the semen to flow backward or retrograde into the bladder, instead of flowing upward and out.
Retrograde ejaculation can occur in men regardless of their age. Men with the following conditions or those who underwent certain procedures may be at risk for developing the condition:
Diabetes Mellitus- Bladder Neck Damage
- Imperforate Anus
- Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP)
- Prostatectomy
- Pelvic Cancer Surgery
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Antidepressants and Antipsychotics
- Hypertension and Prostate Enlargement Medications
Diabetes MellitusRetrograde ejaculation due to diabetes mellitus and multiple sclerosis is referred to as neurogenic. Retrograde ejaculation due to damaged bladder neck,
TURP and spinal cord injuries is referred to as anatomic, which is impossible to cure through oral medications. Though retrograde ejaculation is not an emergency,it can still impact your life in the following four ways:
1. Retrograde Ejaculation Can Stamp Out Your Manly Confidence
There is no denying that men are obsessed with their penises, sex and everything that relates to it because these are the things that make you a man. Men who strongly think their semen volume contributes to them being a man can suffer from real confidence issues.
2. It Can Ruin Your Sex Life And Strain Relationships
The absence of semen during ejaculation may keep you from having sex, especially if you find it embarrassing. Constantly avoiding sex may frustrate your partner and lead to unfulfilled needs. Talk to your partner about what’s bothering you, so she’ll have an idea of what you’re going through right now.
Without the sight of semen flowing out from their penis, some men with retrograde ejaculation said sex will never be the same for them.
If you are unable to achieve erections due to confidence issues, taking ED meds may help you get one. Natural male enhancers like ExtenZe are a safer choice. Being able to perform better in bed may compensate for the lack of an ejaculation.
3. Retrograde Ejaculation Can Cause Infertility
Though retrograde ejaculation is not a common male problem, it poses no danger to your health since the semen is still discharged from the body.On the other hand, it can be a real problem for you if you want to have children. Low seminal volume can result ininfertility, and if there is no semen, there is no chance you can conceive.
If you are unable to conceive despite unprotected sex with your partner for over a year, you should set an appointment with your doctor to find out if your infertility is due to retrograde ejaculation. The cloudy appearance of your urine may also indicate retrograde ejaculation.
4. It Can Lead To Depression
Different emotions brought about by not being able to ejaculate, low self-esteem, poor sex life and frustrations of not being able to make your partner pregnant can overwhelm you.
It can make you lose interest in everything else as you find life is meaningless if you can’t perform your duties as a man.
Counseling may help you deal with these emotions effectively and sorting out treatment options with your doctor may help you improve your problem.
Getting A Diagnosis
The absence of ejaculation can also occur in men with anejaculation. To determine whether it is retrograde ejaculation, you have to undergo a urine test. Your urine sample should be collected right after ejaculating to check for traces of sperm. If there is sperm in your urine sample you are suffering from retrograde ejaculation, if not, the finding is anejaculation.
Treatment Options
You may have never heard of retrograde ejaculation before, but being an unusual disorder does not make it dangerous. Retrograde is difficult to treat, and most cases are idiopathic, or they occur with no definite reasons at all.
Unless you are having trouble having children, you do not need to undergo treatment for retrograde ejaculation.
If your medication is the cause of the problem, stopping it will turn your ejaculations back to normal, but do not stop taking them unless your doctor tells you. If the problem is due to diabetes, controlling your blood sugar may help prevent this condition. For men who are suffering from infertility due to retrograde ejaculation, you can choose to go through the following options:
1. Oral Therapy
Taking medications to repair the function of the bladder neck may prevent the sperm from flowing into the bladder. Drugs used to treat retrograde ejaculation are pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine and ephedrine.
If one drug does not work for you, it doesn’t mean others won’t either. You can switch to other drugs and find the one that proves to be effective.
Oral therapy has a 33 percent success rate in treating men with retrograde therapy, but they won’t work on retrograde ejaculation resulting from surgery. The drugs also come with side effects. It’s up to you and your physician to weigh the pros and cons of taking them.
2. Sperm Retrieval By Assisted Reproductive Technology
There are two ways to collect sperm without ejaculation, either through the urethra by washing the sperm from your urine or by removing the urine in the bladder first then inducing ejaculation. In the first procedure, you have to take a medicine that will elevate your urine pH. Once it takes effect you have to masturbate, ejaculate, urinate, and then collect the post-ejaculation urine.
The medical lab will process the urine sample and separate and concentrate the sperm. If the sperm is of good quality, the doctors will inject it into your partner’s fallopian tube or uterus, a procedure called artificial insemination.
If the sperm volume and motility is low due to the urine pH, they can perform in-vitro fertilization. It is a procedure where the egg and sperm meet in a laboratory dish then the doctor implants the fertilized egg into the uterus.
The other sperm retrieval procedure involves placing a catheter into the bladder to remove the urine. After emptying the bladder, doctors will fill it with a fluid to create a friendly environment for the sperm. Once they remove the catheter, you have to ejaculate.
There is a high chance of collecting quality sperm due to the absence of urine and the injecting of the motility fluid in the bladder before ejaculation. This procedure is expensive and does not guarantee a 100-percent positive result. Retrograde ejaculation is a non-serious condition in terms of physical health. But, it can take a toll on a man’s self-esteem and wreak havoc on his sex life and relationship. If you think you may suffer from this medical condition, talk to your doctor.