Andrology is a branch of urology dealing with the preservation of male reproductive health, as well as the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the male sexual sphere. Today, the problem of men’s health is very acute. Daily stresses, environmental problems, bad habits, irrational nutrition, a huge number of sexual infections have their sad consequences of an increase in the number of male diseases and their negative impact on the reproductive health of men. According to statistics, in almost 50% of cases, the cause of infertility of a couple lies in the male component.
Andrology has existed as an independent medical discipline for only a few decades. The importance of an andrologist for a man’s health is comparable to the importance of a gynecologist for a woman. According to the specifics of its activity, andrology is close to such branches of medicine as urology, endocrinology, venereology, surgery, sex pathology, psychotherapy.
Often men’s problems begin in childhood. So, a childhood infection of mumps transmitted by a boy, in adulthood, can lead to a formidable complication – male infertility. Therefore, andrology takes care of men’s health at all stages of a man’s life: from the period of newborn to old age.
The male sexual system is formed by the penis, scrotum with testicles and their appendages, prostate gland, vas deferens and seminal vesicles. Together, they regulate sexual function in the male body: the production of sex hormones, the formation of sperm and its excretion, the implementation of sexual intercourse.
Among the diseases of the male genital sphere, there are malformations of the genital organs (hermaphroditism, pathology of testicular development, curvature of the penis), inflammatory diseases (balanoposthitis, urethritis, prostatitis, orchitis, epididymitis), tumor lesions (prostate diseases and testicular cancer), genital injuries. All of them, to one degree or another, lead to sexual dysfunction, impaired urination, predispose to the development of androgen deficiency syndrome, in severe cases – lead to male infertility and the impossibility of sexual life.
The scope of andrology also includes the treatment of male sexual dysfunction: impotence, premature ejaculation, decreased libido. A relatively new direction of andrology is plastic genital surgery, which deals with the elimination of cosmetic defects of the male genitals.
Problems and failures in intimate life can ruin the life of any man, destroy family well-being, deprive him of faith in himself and in his masculine fullness.
Therefore, in order to maintain their health, every man should undergo a prostate examination twice a year (which is often compared to the “second heart of a man”) and a sexual infection examination by an andrologist. Such an examination is necessary because often prostate diseases and sexual infections are erased for a long time and they can only be detected when undergoing regular diagnostics.
The possibilities of andrology at the present stage are very great. Today, almost all andrological problems are amenable to successful correction, which means that every man can be active and healthy, despite the years.
Micropenis is a collective concept that includes a number of conditions against which sexual dysfunction develops with the impossibility of penile-vaginal contact due to insufficient penis length. Diagnostics of possible processes that caused underdevelopment or acquired shortening of the phallus is individual, based on physical examination, assessment of hormonal background, MRI data of the pituitary…
Cryptorchidism is a congenital anomaly in which, at the time of birth, a boy lacks one or both testicles in the scrotum, which is due to a delay in their descent through the inguinal canal from the retroperitoneal space. Pathology is manifested by the asymmetry of the scrotum, the absence of a testicle in it…
Frenulum breve is a congenital anatomical defect characterized by a shortening of the skin fold connecting the head of the penis with the foreskin. The presence of frenulum breve is accompanied by severe pain during erection and sexual intercourse, curvature of the penis in an erect state, premature ejaculation, the appearance of tears and ruptures…
Colliculitis is an inflammation of the seminal tubercle. It can be an independent nosology or a secondary pathology caused by the transition of inflammation from the posterior part of the urethra, prostate. Symptoms are variable: with superficial colliculitis, clinical manifestations may be absent, premature ejaculation, painful sensations during erection and ejaculation, sometimes an admixture of…
Testicular hypoplasia is a congenital underdevelopment of one or both testicles, leading to androgen deficiency. Disease is accompanied by a decrease in the size and asymmetry of the scrotum, a small penis size, a violation of puberty, pseudohynecomastia, decreased libido, impotence, male infertility. The diagnosis is based on examination and palpation of the scrotum, the…
Hypertrophy of the seminal tubercle is the excessive development of smooth muscle fibers and connective tissue of the anatomical elevation located in the prostatic part of the urethra. Symptoms are variable and are associated with the size of the formation: if there are no obstacles to the outflow of urine, there are no manifestations. With…
Fournier’s gangrene is an acute infection of the external male genitals with necrotizing soft tissues. Initial symptoms include pain, swelling and redness of the genital area, temperature reaction, weakness. Within 2-7 days, clinical manifestations increase, the skin color changes to dark, purulent discharge and wetness appear, pain due to the aggravation of the necrotizing process…
Penile gangrene is a necrotic change in penile tissues with potentially severe systemic consequences. The symptoms of wet gangrene are represented by pain, swelling, the appearance of ulcers with fetid discharge, impaired urination, fever and severe intoxication. With dry gangrene, there is no purulent discharge, the skin is mummified and acquires a brown or black…
Varicose veins of the pelvis in men – stagnant fullness of the pelvic region, due to a change in the architectonics of the vessels. The main manifestation is intermittent aching dull pains in the lower abdomen, which increase with physical exertion. Some men note symptoms of dysuria: frequent urination, discomfort. Diagnostics includes transrectal ultrasound, Dopplerography,…
Peyronie’s disease is a pathological change in the connective tissue of the penis, for which the formation of dense plaques in the protein membrane is typical. Complaints include painful erections, deformity of the penis, which at an advanced stage leads to the impossibility of sexual life. Diagnosis is based on the data of examination of…
