Men's health problems:Your health problems answered by the experts
I AM considering having a vasectomy. What exactly is a vasectomy?
Vasectomy is an operation to divide the vas deferens which are the tubes carrying sperm from the testicles to the penis. It is a simple, safe surgical procedure for permanent male fertility control and is most commonly performed with a local anaesthetic. Although it is possible to have a vasectomy reversed, it is often unsuccessful. A vasectomy will leave you unchanged except for the fact that the vas are blocked. You should not feel any different physically than you did before your operation. The level of male hormones remains the same and all sexual characteristics remain the same. You should still have the same quality of erections and climax as you did prior to the procedure. The amount of fluid in your ejaculation should be no different except that there will be no sperm. Vasectomy is only suitable for couples who are sure that they do not want more children. If you are in any doubt, then you should not have a vasectomy. You should discuss the issue with your general practitioner or make arrangements to be seen at a urology clinic or a vasectomy clinic. Vasectomy has no effect on sperm production itself. The testicles continue to generate approximately 50,000 sperm per hour. These sperm will continue to develop and leave the testicles but they are blocked in the vas deferens at the site of the vasectomy. Eventually the sperm die and the body absorbs them. It takes approximately 14 weeks for all sperm to be cleared from the system and two negative sperm counts are needed before the operation is deemed successful.
I am a 19-year-old male student and I have very noticeable breasts. What can I do about this?
You most likely have gynaecomastia, which affects about 50 per cent of males going through puberty. In most cases, it is not significant. However, it can be very embarrassing. It is due to the increase in breast tissue behind the nipple and is most commonly caused by an imbalance between the male and female hormones testosterone and oestrogen during puberty. In the majority of cases, it resolves spontaneously within a few years and does not require treatment. It can also be due to the use of cannabis, anabolic steroids or as a side effect of some prescription medications. Rarer causes include male hormonal disorders. If gynaecomastia persists beyond puberty into the late teens or early adulthood then treatment may be indicated to improve cosmetic results. In mild cases, this can be by liposuction and, when it is more severe, excision of the abnormal breast tissue may be required. A visit to your family doctor should help determine whether your condition is likely to improve or if you would benefit from a referral to an endocrinologist or a plastic surgeon.
I am 45 years of age and it seems that every time you pick up a magazine you read about prostate cancer. I am a little confused at to what and where the prostate is.
The prostate is a gland, which is only found in men and is just below the bladder at the junction between the bladder and the water passage (urethra). When you pass urine it flows through this tube and out through the penis. The prostate has two functions: it plays a small part in urinary control and the fluid produced by the prostate forms part of the semen. When men talk about prostate disease they generally mean the spongy type enlargement of the gland which gives rise to symptoms of poor flow when passing water. The other more important disease is prostate cancer.
This column was edited by Prof Tom Lynch who is a consultant urological surgeon at St James's Hospital, Dublin, with a contribution from David O'Donovan, consultant plastic surgeon. Send your men's health questions to healthsupplement@irish-times.ie. This column is unable to answer queries individually.