Low Sperm Count

What is low sperm count?

Low sperm count means that the fluid (semen) you ejaculate during an orgasm contains fewer sperm than normal.

A low sperm count is also called oligospermia. A complete absence of sperm is called azoospermia. Your sperm count is considered lower than normal if you have fewer than 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen.

Having a low sperm count decreases the odds that one of your sperm will fertilize your partner’s egg, resulting in pregnancy. Nonetheless, many men who have a low sperm count are still able to father a child.

Dr. Yan Zhang Acupuncture by Yan P.C. Garden City, NY, 11530

What are the symptoms of low sperm count?

Low sperm count is often symptomless. When symptoms do occur, they may include:

  • The inability to conceive a child
  • Sexual dysfunction
  • Testicular pain, swelling, or lumps
  • Signs of hormonal disorders, such as loss of facial hair or sweating abnormally

What causes low sperm count?Dr. Yan Zhang Acupuncture by Yan P.C. Garden City, NY, 11530  

Sperm count is affected by the level of hormones that signal sperm production, proper testicular function, and the successful release and transport of the sperm. Specific factors that cause low sperm count may include:

  • Retrograde ejaculation
  • Swelling of the veins (varicocele)
  • Infections or tumors
  • Undescended testicles and defects in the sperm duct
  • Hormone imbalances
  • Chromosomal defects
  • Obesity, malnutrition, or vitamin deficiency
  • Exposure to environmental toxins or other elements, such as heat
  • Alcohol and/or tobacco use
  • Medications or medical treatments
  • Psychological disorders, such as stress, overwork, or anxiety

How does acupuncture treat low sperm count?

  • ChiDr. Yan Zhang Acupuncture by Yan P.C. Garden City, NY, 11530nese medicine has several different disease categories, also known as patterns, that describe the disharmonies in the body leading to infertility, and specifically low sperm count (oligospermia).
  • The first discussion of male infertility dates back to the Huangdi Neijing, one the oldest acupuncture texts. This book dates back to the late Warring States period (475
    -221 BC) and the early Han period (206 BCE–220 CE). Male fertility issues have been around for a while, and acupuncture has been used to treat them for just as long.
  • I combine acupuncture, herbal medicine, and dietary therapy with Qigong, self-massage, other lifestyle modifications to treat low sperm count as it relates to infertility. Acupuncture can always be used without herbal medicine, but results will be more significant if acupuncture and herbs are used together.