
While retrograde ejaculation is not a life-threatening condition it can cause male infertility. Learn about causes and treatment
While retrograde ejaculation is not a life-threatening or disabling condition, it can cause male infertility. Therefore, treatment for retrograde ejaculation is only needed if you want to restore fertility.
Retrograde ejaculation is a condition where semen enters your bladder instead of exiting through your penis during orgasm. In normal circumstances, your bladder muscles contract to push semen out through your urethra. However, when your bladder muscle fails to contract, the semen travels backward to the bladder. As a result, you may ejaculate little or no semen during sexual climax, which is called dry orgasm.
What causes retrograde ejaculation?
Causes of retrograde ejaculation may include:
What is the treatment for retrograde ejaculation?
Medications can effectively treat retrograde ejaculation caused by mild nerve damage associated with diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and certain surgeries. However, drugs may not effectively treat permanent physical changes to reproductive anatomy caused by:
- Bladder neck surgery
- Transurethral resection of the prostate
Medications used to treat retrograde ejaculation work by keeping the bladder neck muscle closed during ejaculation. Common types include:
While drugs are the most effective treatment for retrograde ejaculation, they may cause side effects such as:
- Increase in blood pressure
- Increase in heart rate
Treatment type | Considerations |
---|---|
Medication change |
|
Prescribed medications |
|
Surgery |
|
Infertility treatment |
|
How can you prevent retrograde ejaculation?
You can avoid this condition by:
- Maintaining better control of your blood sugar if you have diabetes
- Avoiding drugs that can trigger this problem
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Medically Reviewed on 8/26/2021
References
Mayo Clinic. Retrograde Ejaculation. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/retrograde-ejaculation/symptoms-causes/syc-20354890
Medline Plus. Retrograde Ejaculation. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001282.htm