Dr. Jai Shankar

Both women and men suffer from infertility troubles. There are a host of causes that may lead to infertility in men such as lifestyle choices and obesity. Male infertility is characterized by irregular sperm function or reduced sperm count. Infertility has emerged as a common problem as a result of the modern day lifestyle. Extremely hectic schedules, stress, burnout, depression, unhealthy diets; all of these can contribute to fertility issues.

The various reasons for infertility in men are:

1. If you are overweight, then it is time to lose those extra kilos. Obesity leads to a number of health problems, one of them being erectile dysfunction.
2. Various hormonal problems such as complications of the hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal glands may lead to low testosterone levels in the body.
3. Various infections such as inflammation of the testicles and epididymis that causes blockage of the tubes carrying the sperm can be a cause.
4. Various medications such as using anabolic steroids, antifungal medications and chemotherapy may hamper production of the sperm and thus hit fertility.
5. Both alcohol and cigarettes may cause problems in sperm production, and cause erectile dysfunction. Excessive drinking may lead to complications in the liver resulting in infertility.

The reasons of infertility may range from medical causes to lifestyle choices; some of the causes may be related to the environment. A common cause of infertility is due to problems with transportation of the sperm. These are mainly due to blockages in the tubes that carry the sperm.

Symptoms of infertility in men are:

1. You may experience low libido
2. Your sperm count may be low
3. You may experience lumps or swellings in the testicles
4. Chromosomal complications such as reduced body hair
5. You may have chronic respiratory problems

The shoulder is a vulnerable joint in the upper body. Your shoulder joint becomes vulnerable to imbalances in the muscles as it is strongly supported by them. Bad posture, especially hunched posture, leads to tensions in muscles. This leads to chronic shoulder problems.

Here are six stretches you can do to improve mobility in your shoulder:

1. Thoracic spine roll-out with shoulder flexion: Put a foam roller underneath your shoulder blades after lying down on the floor. The foam roller should be perpendicular to your spine. Place a barbell above your head. Keeping your elbows straight, lower your hips to the floor.
2. Modified downward dog: Bend your knees and put your hips in the air. Place your hands on the floor. Bracing your abdomen, push your hips up. Push up like you are trying to lengthen your spine. As you do this, keep pushing your chest gently to your toes.
3. Loosen the pectorals (muscles of the chest) and latissimus dorsi (widest muscle arising from the lower back): Tight muscles can often lead to shoulder immobility. To loosen pecs, put a softball between the wall and your chest. Putting pressure on the ball, roll it to your pectorals. For the latissimus dorsi, lie down sideways on the floor and put a foam roller between your body and the floor. Follow the same movements as you would do loosen the pecs.
4. Sphinx pose: Lie face down on the floor and prop your body on your elbows. Push your chest off the ground, pressing your shoulder blades together. Stretching your head upwards, lift up one hand. Hold this position for a minute and then change hands.
5. Child’s pose: Kneel down on the ground and sit back on your heels. Then push your torso to the ground and keep your hands stretched in front of you. You should feel a stretch in your shoulders in this position. Hold the position for 15 to 20 seconds.
6. External rotation of the shoulder: Lie down on your side, holding a lightweight dumbbell on your free side. Place a foam roller there for support. Then bend your elbow at a right angle and lift the weight, keeping your upper arm stable. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!