She approached the microphone slowly from the back of the room, appearing to float, wrapped in her colorful hijab. A doctor from Pakistan, she had some questions and a comment after hearing my talk. A Kind Interrogation “Your Sperm Mapping technique for azoospermic men” she stated softly, “is it done under just local anesthesia?” “Yes,” I responded....Continue reading
Tag: semen analysis
Getting Men Over the Infertility Hump
You’ve heard of gene therapy right? What ever happened to it? Born back in the 1990’s, the same decade that Viagra was introduced to the world, gene therapy has not fared nearly as well as the little blue pill. Why not? First of all, gene therapy, in which DNA is put into cells to treat disease,...Continue reading
Care = Knowledge + Gut = Babies
There is a lot of “information” out there nowadays. It all started way back when we humans started talking. Then came the written word, and then television, and now it’s the world-wide-web, that great wellspring of all things knowable. Thomas Jefferson considered information the “currency of democracy,” and Ronald Reagan termed it the “oxygen of the...Continue reading
Fact, Theory and Truth in Science
I am giving a talk to a large gathering of Kaiser docs from Southern California this week on whether a relationship exists between male infertility and the later development of cancer. We have published some of the most convincing data to date to suggest that they are linked. But is it really, absolutely true? What is...Continue reading
Are We Less Fertile Today?
How big was your family a couple of generations ago? Dial things back a half a century and you’d see that having 3 or 4 kids was pretty much average in America. Now, having 2 kids or fewer is the norm. What happened? Are we less fertile? I know what you’re thinking: so what if modern...Continue reading
Can Nature and Nurture Work Together?
I’m sorry, but after delivering hundreds of lectures worldwide over the past two decades, this invitation is different. It’s from the Feds, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to be exact. They want me to speak at a think tank in Washington about the future of men’s health. It’s a great honor, but a very intimidating...Continue reading
Am I Enough?
The case of the month is an actual patient of The Turek Clinic. He hailed from the Middle East. He cut a striking figure, in a Laurence Olivier kind of way. As a young doctor in his final years of training as a heart surgeon, he had issues with his “stuff.” Quite a few. Six...Continue reading
The Family Jewels: To Cut or Cover?
“OK, Honey, I’m pulling the goalie. The IUD is out. Your turn to think about contraception.” Gees, now what? Quick, go through the list in your head. Withdrawal? Abstinence? Rhythm method? Not likely. Really boils down to vasectomy or condoms. Cut it or cover it. Handling Old Faithful Gees, condoms?!? Believe it or not, the oldest known condoms...Continue reading
Varicocele: Bringing Grown Men to their Knees
Name something utterly embedded in our lives, despite our tireless aversion to it. No one of sound mind seeks it out, although it commonly accompanies much of what we do. Yes, it’s pain. The Dutch Scratch And is there a particular pain that brings a man to his knees faster than scrotal pain? Nope. Just...Continue reading
Are You A Gambling Man?
The case of the month is an actual patient of The Turek Clinic. He appeared healthy. No issues with testosterone, erections,or sex drive. No infertility problem. No pain. No lumps or bumps. All dialed in with a primary care provider. He was even on time for his appointment. So, why was he here? “Doc, I’m 40...Continue reading