Understanding male sexual health: More men now reporting low sex drive, Peyronie’s disease, finds study

Understanding male sexual health: More men now reporting low sex drive, Peyronie’s disease, finds study

Scientists found that earlier, more men were diagnosed with erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation.

Myupchar July 20, 2020 22:17:59 IST

This article is a repost which originally appeared on Firstpost.

Edited for content

Male infertility is a topic that is rarely discussed. However, doctors have seen an increase in the number of male patients coming to sexual health clinics to seek help in recent years. Doctors have seen that different sexual health problems are being reported by men which were not prevalent before, also indicating more awareness and openness regarding male sexual health.

Different male sexual health problems

A study published in the journal International Journal of Impotence Research on 1 July 2020 stated that there has been a switch in the sexual problems which males complain about now.

The scientists accumulated complete data of 2,013 patients who were continuously evaluated by a sexual medicine expert between the years 2006 to 2019. The scientists found that 824 patients were assessed for erectile dysfunction, 369 patients were diagnosed with curvature of the penis (Peyronie’s disease), 322 patients had premature ejaculation, 204 suffered from low sex drive and the remaining 294 had other sexual dysfunctions.

In this study, the scientists found that earlier, more men were diagnosed with erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. However, more recently, men have been diagnosed with low sexual desire and Peyronie’s disease.

With the successful treatment options for erectile dysfunction such as Viagra and Cialis and awareness, men have been reporting more about other sexual dysfunctions as well.

Cap-Score: A test to find out sperm quality

Male infertility is one of the major reasons behind the increasing numbers of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) cases throughout the world. Earlier tests like semen analysis, also called seminogram, were done to find out the quality and ability of sperm to fertilize. However, due to the lack of an appropriate diagnostic test for evaluating the fertilizing ability of men, most of the infertility cases get classified as idiopathic or unexplained.

In a recent research article in the journal Reproductive BioMedicine Online, scientists from various universities in the US used Cap-Score to test the sperm capacitation of males.

Sperm capacitation is a natural process where the spermatozoa (motile male sex cell) changes its shape to be able to penetrate and fertilize the female egg. The Cap-Score is a test which determines the percentage of sperm that undergoes capacitation in a certain amount of time. Usually, 35 percent of sperms of a man with normal fertility would undergo capacitation.

In this study, the scientists took the sperm samples from 292 patients and tested their ability to reproduce with the help of traditional sperm analysis test and Cap-Score. Out of these patients, 128 couples became pregnant after three cycles of Intrauterine Insemination (placing sperm inside a woman’s uterus to facilitate fertilisation).

The scientists found that those with high Cap-Score were able to fertilize more efficiently and resulted in a higher number of pregnancies. The scientists also found that men who constantly questioned their fertility showed impaired or reduced capacitation ability.

Benefits of Cap-Score over traditional sperm analysis

Scientists found that traditional semen analysis is unable to identify impairments in fertilising ability, which typically leads to a diagnosis of idiopathic infertility. The scientists found that unlike the traditional semen analysis, capacitation is a better test which helps in determining whether or not there would be a successful generation of pregnancy.

Both these studies indicate that with better awareness of male sexual health issues, men choosing to report as well as get treatment for these diseases, and with the widespread adoption of better sperm analysis tests like the Cap-Score by the medical community, male sexual dysfunction and infertility can be better addressed globally.

For more information, read our article on Low Sperm Count.

Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.

UK man who survived testicular cancer becomes father: Here’s how to do testicle self-exam

UK man who survived testicular cancer becomes father: Here’s how to do testicle self-exam

Unlike other cancers, testicular cancer is much more common in younger men. Doctors recommend regular testicle self-examination to identify testicular cancer at its earliest stage. Watch out for these warning signs and symptoms.

By: Longjam Dineshwori

This article is a repost which originally appeared on THE Health Site

In what could be called a miracle, a UK man who lost his right testicle to cancer recently became a father. Joseph Kelley Hook was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2017, when he was 29. Joseph knew something was very wrong when started feeling agonising pain in his groin and his right testicle had tripled in size. After a long fight, he finally defeated the cancer and was declared all clear in January 2018. But he never thought he would be able to have kids as he had his right testicle removed, plus chemo is known to reduce fertility. [The testicles produce male sex hormones and sperm for reproduction].

But in March this year, Joseph became a father when his partner Rachel gave birth to their son Jacob. He had frozen his sperm in case the couple ever needed it for IVF. But amazingly, he and Rachel were able to conceive naturally and didn’t need IVF.

Doctors in the UK say that testicular cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer in young men in the country. Joseph felt lucky that his cancer was caught early because of which could beat the deadly disease. He suggests all men to check their testicles and go to a doctor if they see or feel any changes.

Testicular cancer: Causes and risk factors

Compared with other types of cancer, testicular cancer is rare. But unlike other cancers, it is much more common in younger men, particularly those between ages 15 and 35. Men in their 30s are said to be at highest risk.  Usually, testicular cancer affects only one testicle.

Doctors are not clear about what causes testicular cancer in most cases. But they know that it occurs when healthy cells in a testicle become altered. Sometimes some cells may develop abnormalities and grow out of control. These accumulating cancer cells may form a mass in the testicle. Testicular cancers mostly begin in the germ cells — the cells in the testicles that produce immature sperm. But what causes these cells to become abnormal and develop into cancer is unclear.

Factors that may increase your risk of testicular cancer include: An undescended testicle (cryptorchidism), abnormal testicle development, family history, age, and race. Testicular cancer is found to be more common in white men than in black men. Unfortunately, there’s no way to prevent this cancer from occurring.

Know the signs and symptoms of testicular cancer

In almost all diseases, early detection can lead to better treatment results and higher survival rate. Luckily, testicular cancer is highly treatable. The treatment will, however, depend on the type and stage of testicular cancer. Doctors also recommend regular testicle self-examination to identify testicular cancer at its earliest stage. So, watch out for these warning symptoms of testicular cancer to get it treated early.

  • A lump or enlargement in either testicle
  • Feeling of heaviness in the scrotum
  • Dull ache in the abdomen or groin
  • A sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum
  • Pain or discomfort in a testicle or the scrotum
  • Enlargement or tenderness of the breasts
  • Back pain

If any pain, swelling or lumps in your testicles or groin last longer than two weeks, you need to see a doctor.