Retrograde ejaculation, also known as dry orgasm, occurs when the seminal fluid enters the bladder instead of getting ejected through the urethra and out from the tip of the penile in males. Urethra is a tube that eliminates urine and semen from the body through the penile. Due to this, the males may experience a lack of ejaculation or ejaculate very little amount of semen. Moreover, It can give rise to fertility issues in such males.
The males can still get orgasms by reaching the climax, but there may be no semen ejected, which is why this condition is termed dry orgasm. The semen in this case gets transferred to the bladder, where urine is stored. Although the condition is not harmful, the males who want to have a child need to get it treated.
Affects
The condition affects the male’s ability to get their spouse pregnant and they even fail to get the pleasure of intimacy owing to the lack of ejaculation. Moreover, This can affect their intimate life as well. But there are treatments available for this condition, which shall help in restoring male fertility or the ability to impregnate their partner.
Dry orgasms or a low quantity of ejaculation are a clear indication of retrograde ejaculation.
This condition is somewhat common and is highly likely to happen among individuals who:
- Have got an injury or done some surgical procedure on their spinal cord.
- Have got some surgical procedures done on their urethra or prostate gland.
- Are using medications that are affecting the ejaculatory function.
- Have undergone rectal or pelvic surgery.
- Have diabetes or having multiple sclerosis.
Retrograde ejaculation causes
During male orgasm, the seminal fluid exits from the tip of the penile. A tube is responsible for carrying the sperm to the prostate, where it gets combined with other fluids. This normal function gets disturbed when a circular muscle, called the bladder sphincter, fails to get close and prevents the sperms from getting transported to the prostrate. The bladder sphincter remains open, and the sperms enter the bladder, instead of exiting the body through the penile.
According to the Mayo Clinic, factors that lead to problems with the muscle that is responsible for closing the bladder are listed below:
- Surgical procedures done on the prostate, spinal cord, bladder neck, testes, etc. can affect the functioning of sexual organs and the tubes and ducts that transfer urine and sperm.
- Medical conditions like diabetes, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, or Parkinson’s disease can lead to nerve damage, which can disturb ejaculatory function.
- Some medications used for treating conditions like depression, prostrate enlargement, and high blood pressure or hypertension can give rise to retrograde ejaculation problems.
Retrograde ejaculation treatment
Retrograde ejaculation causes infertility among males. Those who do not wish to have children can leave the condition as it is because it does cause any health complications. One might not even know that they are experiencing this issue, as it does not cause pain or any harm. The only way the males find out about this condition is when they repeatedly fail to ejaculate even after reaching orgasm.
Diagnosis
For diagnosis, the healthcare provider will ask you some questions regarding the symptoms you are experiencing, since when you are having ejaculatory problems, any health problem, or medications you are using to manage some health condition, and things along those lines. They may conduct a physical examination of your penile, testes, and rectum.
Moreover, They may ask you to get a urine sample, to check whether there is a high quantity of sperm present in it. Based on the analysis and reports, they will suggest some medications.
According to the Mayo Clinic, certain drugs can be helpful in treating retrograde ejaculation, that include:
- Imipramine, which is an antidepressant drug.
- Chlorpheniramine and brompheniramine, which are antihistamine drugs that are helpful in relieving allergies.
- Midodrine, a drug that helps in constricting blood vessels.
- Ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and phenylephrine, which are drugs that are helpful in relieving symptoms of the common cold.
Retrograde ejaculation symptoms
When the semen goes into the bladder rather than the tube in the penile, ejaculation does not happen. The semen gets eliminated from the body through urination. Signs and symptoms of retrograde ejaculation are as follows:
- Little to almost no semen after reaching the climax and having orgasms.
- Cloudy urine, which happens when the semen gets transported to the bladder and gets mixed with the urine.
- Inability to get the spouse pregnant.
