The decline in fertility among modern people has become a consensus in the medical community, with men being particularly affected. Recent studies both domestically and internationally have shown that the quality of male semen has significantly decreased compared to a decade ago. What are the factors that are wearing down male fertility? Experts point out that in addition to the impact of negative psychological pressures such as environmental factors, dietary factors, and anxiety, "modern lifestyle diseases" cannot be ignored. Especially the prolonged sitting caused by modern work methods is likely to lead to infertility. Experts suggest that men with sedentary habits who often experience discomfort with scrotal bloating should seek medical attention from a urology department as soon as possible.
Three deadly sins: affecting spermatogenesis, inducing prostatitis, and varicocele
According to incomplete statistics, due to changes in modern lifestyle and work methods, the proportion of people who are accustomed to sitting for long periods of time and have minimal activity is as high as 60% to 85%. The harm of sitting for too long does not manifest overnight. Many people do not take it seriously, but they do not know that many major illnesses gradually accumulate in this way, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and so on. Due to stagnation, the body's function gradually deteriorates, leading to the onset of diseases.
Sitting for a long time has a greater impact on male health. It is reported that the production and maturation of sperm in the testes require a cooler temperature. During prolonged sitting, the temperature of the perineum increases, leading to excessive testicular temperature and affecting sperm development and maturation. On the other hand, prolonged sitting can cause poor blood flow in the perineum and pelvic floor of men, resulting in blood stasis in the perineum, which in turn leads to obstruction of the prostate gland ducts and poor secretion of glandular fluid. The prostate is in a congested state for a long time, which can easily lead to prostatitis and in severe cases, affect fertility.
Sitting for a long time can also compress the scrotum, hinder venous reflux, thicken blood vessels near the testicles, and cause varicocele in severe cases of blood stasis. Patients may experience heavy testicular sagging and dull pain in the lower abdomen. Therefore, prolonged sitting can cause or worsen varicocele.
Varicocele, affecting fertility and sexual well-being
Varicocele is a common urogenital disease in men and a major cause of male infertility. Experts pointed out that the incidence rate of the disease accounted for 10% to 15% of the normal male population, 19% to 41% of male infertility, and 65% of patients with varicocele had poorer semen quality than normal people. Patients often lack timely diagnosis and treatment due to a lack of conscious symptoms, ultimately leading to impaired sperm production ability in some patients.
How does varicocele affect male fertility? Experts point out that it is mainly achieved through the following three aspects:
1. Due to poor testicular blood flow, venous blood retention, scrotal temperature is 0.6 to 0.8 ℃ higher than normal, affecting spermatogenesis and maturation, which can lead to oligozoospermia, asthenospermia, or even azoospermia.
2. When suffering from left varicocele, the blood of its adrenal vein and renal vein will also flow back to the tissue of its testis. Some substances contained in it, such as catecholamine, can have toxic effects on the testis, resulting in delamination of the seminiferous epithelium of the seminiferous tubule, disordered arrangement of spermatocyte and sperm cells, progressive reduction or even loss of sperm, abnormal morphology, low vitality, premature shedding of immature sperm, The maturation of sperm in the epididymis is hindered, resulting in a decrease in semen quality, leading to the occurrence of male infertility.
Due to the abundant anastomotic branches between the venous systems of both testicles, whether it is varicocele on one or both sides, the testicular spermatogenic function will be affected by each other.
Perhaps some people may ask: Some people have varicocele, but can they have normal fertility? Experts say that varicocele does not necessarily cause infertility, and the treatment methods vary depending on the clinical manifestations of varicocele.
Experts say that for mild varicocele, clinical symptoms are not obvious, especially for unmarried young people or those who are married and have normal fertility, it should not be treated. For mild varicocele, comprehensive treatment such as medication and scrotal support can be used; For moderate to severe varicocele, surgical treatment is generally recommended in clinical practice; For couples with fertility requirements, it is also necessary to consider the situation of the woman comprehensively. According to the situation of both spouses, artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization can be chosen.
If you suffer from varicocele but have no intention of having offspring, does it still require treatment? Experts suggest seeking medical attention first. Because some patients may experience testicular atrophy due to long-term varicocele, leading to decreased sexual function, impotence, and premature ejaculation. Even if they do not plan to have offspring, it can affect their sexual well-being.
Expert reminder: How to reduce the "lethality" of prolonged sitting
Experts suggest that in both work and life, men should sit for a moderate amount of time, with appropriate hardness and warmth.
1. You can squat deeply after sitting for a long time. After sitting for 40-50 minutes, get up and move around, walk or squat for 5 minutes before continuing work. This can reduce pressure on the prostate and scrotum, avoid blood accumulation, and also cool the perineum.
2. There is a particular emphasis on selecting seats. Choose a seat that is soft and hard, and the hips should not sink into the seat, but the seat should not be too hard, making the hips feel oppressive. You might as well put a cotton pad on the hard stool.
3. The buttocks are unable to withstand the "dual weather of ice and fire". Some people like to sit on bamboo mats in air-conditioned rooms and enjoy the cool feeling of their buttocks. But sitting in cold chairs for a long time is also detrimental to health. Try to avoid steaming sauna or soaking in hot springs to avoid high testicular temperature affecting testicular spermatogenic function.