Male Infertility

Acupuncture may help with IVF treatment. fertility and stress

Infertility

Infertility is when a couple has the inability to conceive. This can be either due to the male or female reproductive system or possibly both. Infertility occurs in 1/7 couples. It is diagnosed after a year or more of unsuccessful conceiving attempts having frequent, unprotected intercourse. 

What is Male Infertility

Male infertility is more common than you think, with both genders being equally likely to be infertile. Infertility is when you are unable to produce fertile sperm or eggs in order to conceive. 

Causes of Male Infertility

Male infertility is caused by issues with one or more of the following:

  • Production of sperm
  • Sperm Count
  • Shape of sperm 
  • Sperm Movement (wiggling motions and sperms ability to travel through tubes)

Aspects that affect and cause these are:

  • Varicocele
  • Infection
  • Ejaculation issues 
  • Antibodies that attack sperm
  • Tumours 
  • Undescended testicles
  • Hormone imbalances
  • Damage to sperm carrying tubes
  • Chromosome defects
  • Sexual intercourse problems
  • Celiac disease
  • Medications like spironolactone, cimetidine, nifedipine, sulfasalazine, colchicine, tricyclic antidepressants, anabolic steroids
  • Chemotherapy and radiation therapy
  • Recreational drugs like marjiuana and cocaine
  • Overheating testicles often

The risk factors of infertility include:

  • Older age
  • Smoking cigarettes 
  • Alcohol abuse or heavy usage
  • Being overweight or obesity 
  • Toxin exposure (pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals).

Symptoms of Male Infertility

Evidently the main sign of infertility in men is inability to conceive. There might not be any more symptoms but on other occasions, here are a few that might be experienced:

  • Sexual problems. For example, erectile dysfunction, ejaculation problems either small volumes of fluid or difficulty ejaculating, reduced sexual desire
  • Pain in the tesicles, possibly a lump or swelling
  • Loss of smell
  • Gynecomastia (abnormal breast growth) 
  • Signs of hormonal chromosomal abnormality such as decrease in facial or body hair 
  • Lower sperm count

Prevention of Male Infertility

You can not always prevent infertility but there are things you can do to lower your risk. Here are the best things you can do:

  • Don’t smoke
  • Limit or refrain from consuming alcohol
  • Avoid illicit drugs
  • Stay a healthy body weight
  • No vasectomy
  • Reduce stress
  • Stay away from exposure to toxins 

If you have been unsuccessfully attempting to conceive for a year, you can go to your doctor and ask about infertility. Also get looked at if you have any of the following:

  • Problem with sexual function (erectile dysfunction, ejaculation problems, low sex drive) 
  • Discomfort or pain in the testcile area (lump or swelling)
  • History with testicle, sexual or prostate problems
  • A surgery involving the groin, penis or scrotum
  • A partner over 35 

Complications with Male Infertility

Complications with male infertility include:

  • Stress or difficulties in the relationship attempting to conceive 
  • Cancer in the surrounding area of reproductive organs

Treating Male Infertility

Treatments for infertility can include surgery, medication and more. Surgery can correct or repair abnormalities within reproductive organs, while medications such as hormone treatments may be useful for conditions that affect male fertility. In vitro fertilization is a process that helps with restoring fertility using the fertilization methods of sperm and egg cells in a laboratory situation. If more conventional methods do not restore your ability to get pregnant, you might want to look into this procedure in particular so all options are explored when it comes down to helping your body have a successful pregnancy.

Acupuncture is an effective treatment for many ailments.

At Centre of Balance we treat male infertility with Traditional Chinese Medicine. Chinese medicine is a natural approach to health using Chinese herbs and acupuncture to restore balance and harmony for body function.  Book in for an initials exam or call/email us to learn more and see how we can help you.

Our Offer to You

Fill in our online questionnaire for free – and save the $135 it would cost you to do this detailed medical history in person with a practitioner.  You can request a phone call from a practitioner after they have read your online form, or just book your initial exam for $40.  Call us on 07 846 7956 to book, or fill in the questionnaire now.

References

https://www.healthline.com/health/fertility#male-causes

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/male-infertility/symptoms-causes/syc-20374773

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Monica

I am originally from Hebei province in China. I hold a NZ bachelor’s degree of health and science with a major in acupuncture. I am honoured to be an acupuncturist at Centre of Balance. Helping patients to alleviate their pain brings me the greatest joy. Chinese medicine emphasises the unity of human beings and nature. During the treatment, I hope to not only relieve your pain but also help you to understand the principles behind acupuncture’s effectiveness, as well as the significant impact of diet, emotions, lifestyle habits, and living environments on disease recovery. Self-healing is an ability that our bodies are naturally endowed with.

I studied acupuncture in New Zealand and completed one and a half years of supervised clinical internship before graduating. In the early stage of my training, I mainly worked with patients experiencing neck, shoulder, and lower back pain. Under the guidance of senior clinical tutors, I gradually developed hands-on experience and confidence in treating musculoskeletal pain conditions.
As my clinical exposure expanded, I began treating a wider range of internal conditions. Alongside traditional acupuncture, I was introduced to Umbilical Acupuncture and Tungs-acupuncture Points. What interested me most about these approaches is that they often do not require needling directly at the painful area, yet can still achieve very effective results.
I was especially inspired by observing my supervisor use Umbilical Acupuncture to treat common conditions such as insomnia, menstrual irregularities, and even rheumatoid arthritis, with very positive outcomes. Another supervisor was highly skilled in Tungs-acupuncture Points and achieved excellent results in treating pain, infertility, menstrual disorders, and a variety of women’s health conditions. After completing my studies and entering clinical practice, once I observed Dr. Szenan Phua using Tungs-acupuncture points to help cancer patients relieve pain, which further strengthened my trust in this treatment method.
I later completed training in Dr. Tan Balance Acupuncture, which had a strong influence on the way I approach treatment. One of the most noticeable features of this method is how quickly patients often feel improvement, especially with pain conditions. Dr. Szenan Phua’s New Balance Acupuncture combines meridian regulation with structural adjustment and internal organ balancing, including techniques such as pulse balancing and spinal adjustment.
From my clinical experience, pain is rarely just a local issue. It often involves underlying organ weakness or structural imbalance. When these aspects are addressed together, treatment can be more thorough and longer-lasting. I also apply this approach to internal conditions, particularly in fertility and women’s health. This includes supporting natural conception, IVF preparation and embryo transfer, pregnancy support, early-pregnancy nausea, and late-pregnancy labour induction. I combine these treatments with concepts learned from a few additional fertility training, which has given me a broader and more flexible clinical perspective. This has reinforced my belief that acupuncture should be adapted to each individual rather than applied through fixed formulas.
Two other areas of study that have been very helpful in my clinical work are Tongue Diagnosis and Dr. Zhu’s Scalp Acupuncture. Although tongue diagnosis is taught in my standard Chinese medicine training, further study allowed me to deepen and refine my diagnostic skills.
My first formal training was in Li’s Tongue Diagnosis, which looks not only at organ patterns, but also at how different areas of the tongue reflect the body’s structure. This system also explores personality traits and changes during pregnancy, making it both clinically useful and engaging. I later attended online lectures on Yin’s Tongue Diagnosis and studied the related materials independently. this learning has helped me make clearer and more accurate pattern differentiation, allowing my acupuncture treatments to be more targeted. It covers a wide range of conditions, including skin disorders, oncology-related presentations, mental health patterns, and joint or limb problems. In practice, tongue observation often provides valuable insight even before a patient begins describing their symptoms.
In addition to the methods above, I regularly use local bloodletting techniques, which can be very effective for improving circulation, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. I also incorporate auricular (ear) acupressure and stimulation, which I commonly use for allergies, insomnia, headaches, stress management, and various internal conditions.
In my clinical work, I value taking the time to listen carefully to each patient and to understand their overall health, lifestyle, and concerns. Based on each individual’s condition, I also provide personalised dietary guidance and lifestyle or wellness advice to support overall health and long-term wellbeing. I commonly support patients with musculoskeletal pain, such as neck, shoulder, knee, and back pain, as well as stress-related conditions, sleep issues, migraines, digestive concerns, and women’s health and fertility-related conditions.