Retrograde Ejaculation: An 'Uncommon Condition'

At the time of orgasm when the muscle at the opening of the bladderdefine does not close properly and semen flows back into bladder rather than out of the penis, it is known as retrograde ejaculation.

Hence, during ejaculation very little or no semen is discharged from your penis. Men with retrograde ejaculation dose not have any health problems but it could lead to fertility problems.

Causes:

Retrograde ejaculation is an uncommon condition which can occur after surgeries such as urethral or prostate surgery, autonomic nerve damage associated with diabetes or spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis, taking medications, in particular drugs used to treat high blood pressure and mood disorders.

Symptoms:

Retrograde ejaculation can cause:

• Very little on no semen is discharged from the penis during orgasm.
• Men have infertility problems.
• After orgasm, one has cloudy urine as semen mixes into urine.

Risk factors:

A person is at higher risk of developing retrograde ejaculation if he has a spinal cord injury, is diabetic, has a urethral or prostate surgery or take certain medications for hypertension (high blood pressure) or mood related disorders.

Signs and tests:

The doctor will look at the urine sample after you had ejaculated and if he finds large amount of sperm in the sample then he will diagnose you with retrograde ejaculation

Complications:

A man may suffer from infertility due to this condition.

Treatment:

No treatment is needed for retrograde ejaculation unless you want to conceive naturally. The doctor will look at the cause of the condition and if it is due to certain medications, avoiding the drugs will do the trick.

But if the condition is caused by diabetes or following genitourinary tract surgery, it may be reversed with medications such as epinephrine like drugs, including pseudoephedrine or imipramine.

Even after taking drugs you are not able to conceive a child, the health care provider may be able to artificially inseminate your partner with sperm taken from your bladderdefine after you ejaculate or taken directly from your testes through biopsy.

Prevention:

Keep a check on your blood sugar level, if you are diabetic. If you are on medication for high blood pressure or mood disorder, talk to your doctor if taking those drugs can cause retrograde ejaculation and if it does than your health care provider may suggest some other medication.