For infertile patients, a semen analysis is an indispensable supplementary examination that provides a lot of information about the quantity and quality of semen. In addition to abnormal sperm count and vitality, from the appearance, some patients may have increased semen viscosity, which is often overlooked. Many patients feel confused about the semen test and do not know what the significance is. What is semen viscosity? Does it affect sperm quality?
The semen ejaculated by men during sexual intercourse is gelatinous, which is a self-protection mechanism formed during evolution. Coagulated semen can be stored in the bank vault of the female vagina. Similar phenomena can be seen in primates such as macaques. This prevents semen from flowing out of the vagina after sexual intercourse and increases the probability of conception.
Generally speaking, semen liquefaction begins to liquefy 15 to 30 minutes after ejaculation, which provides a suitable environment for sperm movement. The mechanism that semen undergoes a dynamic process from coagulation to liquefaction is that the coagulation proteins secreted by seminal vesicles coagulate together after ejaculation, forming visible coagulation in semen, acting on sperm flagella and inhibiting sperm motility.
After a period of time, under the action of liquefaction factors such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and chymotrypsin, colloidal protein liquefied rapidly. Semen viscosity decreased, sperm got rid of the bondage and finally reached the destination to fertilize with the egg.
At present, the glass rod method is widely used in the examination of semen viscosity in andrology. Specifically, the semen is collected and incubated in a water bath to promote semen liquefaction. Then the glass rod is put into semen, and then the glass rod is lifted to observe the length of filaments formed at the end of the rod.
When the semen viscosity is too high, the filament length is more than two centimeters, the sperm motility and other indicators are affected, the quality of semen will decline, leading to infertility.
The main reasons for the high viscosity of liquefied semen are as follows:
1. Infections factors: such as bacteria, mycoplasma, chlamydia, etc.
2. Immune factors: such as an anti-sperm antibody.
3. Disease factors: common male diseases such as prostatitis, varicocele, etc.
4. Abnormal seminal plasma biochemical indicators: prostate specific antigen (PSA), seminal citric acid, seminal acid phosphatase and other indicators.
5. Other factors: staying up late, sedentary, lack of trace elements, etc.
In terms of treatment, at present, the leading cause of high semen viscosity is targeted therapy. Infected people should first take anti-infective treatment or natural medicine Diuretic and Anti-inflammatory Pill, which is effective in treating the diseases that cause semen viscosity. And it will not produce any side effects and damage to your body. Besides, you also need to change your bad living habits to promote your condition.