Penis Problems: Retrograde Ejaculation

Although ejaculation can be a bit messy, most men are happy to experience a clean-up issue in order to enjoy the orgasmic feeling that typically accompanies the release of semen. For some men, however, there may not be a lot of mess to clean up. When this is because he is having an ejaculation fast upon the heels of another, it's not a penis health concern. But sometimes it does fall into the realm of penis problems; for example, when little semen is spurting forth due to retrograde ejaculation.

Retrograde ejaculation

When men begin to masturbate, many often become slightly obsessed with seeing how far they can "shoot" their semen. They also may like to mentally keep track of the quantity of semen they produce as well. It's all part of being a guy.

But when a man has retrograde ejaculation, he finds himself in a position where his quantity (and often his trajectory) has been seriously impacted. That's by no means to say that he doesn't still experience orgasm; he does, usually to the same degree he would if he were releasing the typical volume of semen. But while the sensation is still there, the semen isn't.

What happens to it?

How it works

Inside a man, there's something called the internal sphincter. This is located between the prostate and the bladder. When a man is getting ready to ejaculate, this sphincter closes very tightly, so semen will travel out through the urethra rather than falling back into the bladder. Men are too preoccupied with everything else going on at this point to be aware of this process.

But in some cases, the smooth muscle of the penis doesn't relax or doesn't relax fully, and this can prevent the sphincter from doing its job; it may remain partially or fully open, and this will drain a substantial amount of the semen into the bladder. (It is rare for 100% of the semen to fall back into the bladder, but it can happen.)

Typically, the semen will be dispersed with the urine over the next few eliminations.

Causes

Most often, retrograde ejaculation is a side effect of diabetes, prostate surgery or some prostate medications - and in such cases, many men don't bother with treatment for the semen-related issue. But it can be the result of something more serious, such as a blockage in the urethra or nerve damage. That requires treatment to avoid a bigger problem.

As penis problems go, retrograde ejaculation is usually not major (unless the underlying cause needs treatment). Since men still experience orgasm, it does not usually interfere with their sex lives. However, some men do have a psychological reaction to the fact that they do not shoot forth a fountain as in days gone by, and this can lead to feelings of stress or depression in some men.

What about pregnancy? Well, if only a small amount of semen is coming out of the penis, this can make pregnancy difficult (although not impossible - so a man shouldn't count on retrograde ejaculation as a form of birth control). In many cases, men with significant retrograde ejaculation who wish to become fathers will need to have sperm harvested from the bladder or testes and then inserted via artificial insemination.

Retrograde ejaculation is one of those penis problems that most men don't think about. But paying regular attention to penis health is crucial, and can more easily be accomplished by the daily application of a top notch penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin). For best results, find a crème that contains both L-arginine and L-carnitine. Both are amino acids; the former is one which helps the body in its production of nitric oxide - and that, in turn, helps penile blood vessels be more receptive to expansion. The latter is excellent at helping to preserve penis sensitivity against rough handling.