For patients experiencing low testosterone, the specialists at Affiliated Urologists can help with several treatment options.
Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) with Injections and Topical Treatments
Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is a general term that describes treatment options for men suffering from symptoms associated with low testosterone, also known as “low T.” Some of the most common therapies for patients with low T include testosterone injections and topical treatments, such as Androderm, AndroGel, Testim, and Striant. It is important patients talk to their urologist about their symptoms associated with low T to discover treatment options that are right for them. In regards to topical treatments, patients can receive testosterone from skin patches, gels, and mouth patches. These methods may require multiple applications throughout the day to ensure the best possible outcomes.
Testosterone can also be injected directly into the muscles for a slow absorption into the bloodstream. Both therapeutic approaches (injections and topical treatments) help improve the patient’s energy levels, sex drive, concentration, mood, behavior, and other symptoms caused by low T. These treatment options are generally preferred over oral medications for low T because they bypass the liver and enter the bloodstream directly for immediate results. While there are many benefits to TRT, there are also a number of risks involved. TRT may worsen or increase a patient’s risk of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), prostate cancer, sleep apnea, blood clots, and congestive heart failure.
Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
Assisted reproductive technologies are medical techniques that help infertile couples conceive children. Men with low T often suffer from infertility, which can make starting a family difficult. The physicians at Affiliated Urologists may perform ART procedures or refer patients to physicians who specialize in various assisted reproductive techniques. For patients unfamiliar with ART, these reproduction methods usually involve the couple’s own eggs and sperm, or a donor’s eggs, sperm, or embryos. While ART usually refers to fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrafallopian transfer procedures, artificial insemination generally falls under this category. As a result, a urologist may work with the patient and his partner to perform reproductive techniques to help increase the couple’s chance of conceiving a child.