What Causes Male Infertility? Be Alert to Azoospermia
Male infertility refers to infertility due to the male partner of a couple who has cohabited for more than 2 years without using contraception. Male infertility is categorized into absolute and relative infertility according to clinical manifestations.
Absolute infertility refers to the complete lack of fertility, such as idiopathic azoospermia; relative infertility refers to fertility below the threshold required for pregnancy, such as oligospermia. Strictly speaking, as long as there are live sperm in the semen ejaculated outside the body, it is possible to realize fertility.
The common signs of male infertility are azoospermia, low sperm survival, low sperm motility and high sperm malformation. Among them, the most severe sign is azoospermia. As we all know, to conceive the next generation, men must provide healthy sperm. But there are no sperm inside the semen of patients with azoospermia, so it is difficult for men with azoospermia to conceive the next generation.
Azoospermia means that no sperm are seen in three consecutive semen centrifugal microscopic examinations. At the same time, ejaculation and retrograde ejaculation need to be ruled out before the diagnosis of azoospermia can be confirmed. Azoospermia is an extreme case of male infertility; its incidence accounts for 8% to 10% of infertile men.
Azoospermia can be categorized into two main groups: the first is testicular spermatogenic dysfunction, also known as true azoospermia; in this case, sperm cannot be produced. The second is testicular spermatogenic dysfunction, also known as obstructive azoospermia; in this case, the vas deferens tract is blocked, and sperm cannot be discharged from the body.
So, apart from congenital factors, what causes azoospermia that leads to male infertility?
1. Being in a harmful environment
Many men may be exposed to harmful chemicals for a long time due to their work requirements, such as automobile exhaust containing sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and other harmful substances in large quantities. Or they may need to be exposed to radiation for a long time.
When the human body is exposed to these substances for a long period, cumulative damage can occur, affecting reproductive health. These men are prone to azoospermia because radiation and chemicals are lethal to sperm, causing sperm abnormalities that lead to azoospermia.
2. Smoking and drinking alcohol
With the increased work pressure, many men inevitably need to socialize. During this process, it is quite common for them to smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol. Long-term smoking and drinking are also harmful to sperm. Because the nicotine inside cigarettes and alcohol inside wine easily lead to endocrine disorders and greatly impacts the sperm. So they will also cause azoospermia.
3. Stay up late
We all know that adequate sleep has a great impact on the health of the body. But only some men often stay up late due to their work requirements. Long-term sleep deprivation can easily lead to metabolic disorders in the body, thus affecting the male endocrine system. Once the endocrine disorder occurs, men's sperm quality will be greatly impacted. After a long time, it is easy to get infected with azoospermia.
4. Ignore private hygiene
Both the female and the male need to pay attention to the cleanliness of private parts. Because if they don't, it is easy to cause various kinds of inflammation in the private parts, such as orchitis, prostatitis, vas deferens infection, etc. These inflammations will play a role in killing the sperm. Therefore, if private hygiene is not done correctly, once inflammation occurs, it can easily lead to azoospermia.
The treatments for azoospermia are life management, medication, and surgery. The drug treatment of Western medicine is to regulate hormones in the endocrine system by supplementing relevant hormones or lowering the hormones in the body. This way, it can help alleviate the impact of endocrine dysfunction on sperm production.
If patients are worried that hormonal drugs in Western medicine will produce greater side effects, they can also use the patented traditional Chinese medicine Diuretic and Anti-inflammatory Pill for treating male genitourinary system diseases.
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