It is important that we treat our body with care and ensure that we eat healthy and right, in order to support our body to function right. When the semen that spews upon ejaculation does not have the appropriate amount of sperm in it, this signifies a condition called Low Sperm Count. This is also called Oligospermia, while a complete lack of sperm in the fluid or semen is called Azoospermia. If a male has less than 15 million sperms in each millilitre of semen, then he is considered as a patient suffering from low sperm count.
This also makes a person infertile and lessens the chances of fertilising a partner's egg. The symptoms may include problems in gaining and retaining an erection, premature ejaculation problem, pain and discomfort, a lump in the penis, and inability to conceive a child. This may be caused due to infection, ejaculation problems, tumours, hormonal imbalances and Varicocele. The way to treat this condition is as follows:
- Surgery: A patient with a low sperm count may be asked to go through surgery which will help in correcting a Varicocele in a surgical manner. For this, any vasectomies that the patient may have gone through will have to be reversed. Also, the doctor can resort to sperm retrieval methods in order to scoop the sperm directly from the testicles and epididymis. This is usually done in cases where there is no sperm in the semen that the patient ejaculates.
- Infection Treatment: With the help of antiviral medication and oral antibiotics, any infection in this part of the body can be treated and cured so that normal sperm production can take place. While this method can cure the infection in the reproductive tract of the patient, there is no guarantee of increasing fertility with this process.
- Hormone Treatment: The doctor can aim at treating any hormonal imbalances by using hormone replacement therapy as well as medication. This can help in treating cases of infertility as well by tweaking the way the body produces and uses hormones.
- Counselling: A patient may have to undergo counselling and associated medication to help in overcoming problems like erectile dysfunction problem or premature ejaculation problem.
- Assisted Reproductive Technology: ART or Assisted Reproductive Technology usually involves surgical extraction of sperms from donors which can be inserted in the genital reproductive tract of the female partner so that conception via methods like In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) can be possible.
Increasing the frequency of sexual intercourse and avoiding excessive use of additives like lubricants can also help in increasing the sperm count. One must also follow a healthy diet and get plenty of exercise even as a proper routine is followed. Also, smoking and excessive drinking must be avoided. One must also time sexual activity with the ovulation cycles of the partner. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a sexologist.