What does retrograde ejaculation mean?

Retrograde ejaculation means that during intercourse, sexual pleasure can be achieved and there is a feeling of ejaculation, but no semen is discharged from the urethra. After intercourse, there are sperm and glucose in the urine. That is, semen moves backward into the bladder. It is mainly caused by the inability of the bladder neck to close or the excessive friction resistance of the urethra opening in the membranous part. It should be distinguished from anejaculation syndrome or dead sperm syndrome.

Retrograde ejaculation refers to a normal sexual intercourse process, which can achieve sexual climax, and has the posture and feeling of ejaculation, but no semen is discharged from the urethra, but it is discharged into the bladder in a retrograde manner. After intercourse, the urine test shows sperm and glucose. Retrograde ejaculation is the early stage of sexual impulse. The bladder neck dilation and urethral membranous dilation located at the beginning and end of the urethra are in a state of contraction, so a closed small space is formed between them. When the ejaculation just begins, the semen is collected from the epididymal cyst, ejaculatory duct, seminal vesicle, and prostate into the prostate urethra but not further discharged into the posterior urethra, causing part or all of the semen to go up through the bladder neck and discharge into the bladder in a retrograde manner. There are two conditions that cause retrograde ejaculation. One is numbness and weakness of the bladder and neck, and the other is increased friction resistance of the urethral membrane, such as severe traumatic urethral stenosis or inflammatory urethral stenosis.

Retrograde ejaculation can cause multifunctional infertility and secondary reactions in men. If a man suffering from retrograde ejaculation attaches great importance to his reproductive function, erectile dysfunction is more common, which may be a secondary reaction of retrograde ejaculation.

There are many reasons for retrograde ejaculation, which can be roughly divided into three categories:

(1) Diseases such as bladder and urethritis, diabetes, urethral stenosis, and hypertrophy of the urethra.

(2) Male prostate, bladder, or duodenal surgery may result in partial autonomic nerve imbalance or bladder sphincter damage.

(3) Long-term use of drugs such as guanethidine and reserpine.