We all know that a gynecologist is a right expert to consult for problems related to women’s reproductive health. When it comes to men’s health, more often than not, general physicians are the go-to experts. This is because, most of us are not aware of the doctors who specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of male problems including sexual disorders. So if we have an expert who deals with male health problems, do we call him a male gynecologist?
Well, in this series of know your doctor, we will be explaining about the different male health specialists and what they do.
Urologist: They are the right specialists to go to for problems related to men’s reproductive and sexual problems. These experts specialise in both surgical and non-surgical treatment of various conditions of the reproductive system, prostate gland, urinary tract and adrenal gland. Some of the common problems are:
-Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
-Prostate enlargement
-Urinary tract infections
-Undescended testes
-Overactive bladder
-Varicocele
-Nocturia
-Bladder exstrophy
-Prostatitis
-Testicular torsion
-Peyronie’s disease
-Cancers (testicular cancer and prostate cancer)
Andrologist: Andrologists are the male equivalent of gynecologists, who focus mainly on male reproductive issues. They are urologists who specialise in the treatment of conditions affecting the male fertility and sexuality. This includes physical conditions, injuries, infections and sexual dysfunction due to diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney failure. You can also consult an andrologist for a vasectomy (male sterilization) and if you need to harvest sperm for in vitro fertilization (IVF). Andrologists can help with problems such as:
-Undescended testes
-Infertility
-Varicocele
-Male menopause (andropause)
-Impotence
-Urological problems
Fertility specialist: A male fertility specialist is also known as a reproductive endocrinologist (RE). They are urologists who specialize in dealing with hormonal problems related to reproduction and infertility in men. They are responsible for the complete testing and treatment of the fertility-related problem in men. The common treatment options provided by fertility specialists include:
-Intrauterine insemination (IUI)
-In vitro fertilization (IVF)
-Assisted reproductive technology (ART)
Sexologist: Although a urologist can help you to deal with reproductive and seuxal problems in men, a sexologist is an expert who specialises in sexual health. This is the right expert to consult for problems such as:
-Erectile dysfunction
-Low sex drive
-Loss of libido
-Dry orgasm
-Premature ejaculation
-Delayed ejaculation
-Poor performance
-Prolonged erection
Psychiatrist: You can consult a psychiatrist for problems related to sexual performance. This is the right expert to help you fight issues such as performance anxiety which can lead to an inability to get an erection. Counselling from a psychiatrist can help deal with psychological problems that affect your sex life.
(The article is reviewed by Dr. Lalit Kanodia, General Physician)
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