A vasectomy procedure is a really popular birth control method intended for men. It is so much less invasive and safer than other options, like tubal ligation, which is the procedure that is used for sterilization in women. Even so, there are few men that use vasectomies as birth control methods. In many cases, this is due to various misconceptions about the procedure.
In order to clear the air and highlight what is actually true, here are the most common vasectomy procedure misconceptions and why they are false.
Vasectomies Reduce Sex Drive
The vasectomy will not reduce sex drive and it will not make a man impotent. The procedure has literally zero impact on a man’s sex drive, the ability to have a normal erection, ejaculate or testosterone levels. Semen is still ejaculated.
In many cases, because of the incredibly low possibility to get a woman pregnant, men actually end up with an increased sex drive. This is mainly due to reduced anxiety associated with a potential unwanted pregnancy.
Vasectomies Are Painful
Many men will tell you that vasectomies are really painful and that recovery period is really long. If you hear someone say this, that person did not have the procedure done. The vasectomy is not at all painful since anesthesia is utilized. There are men that will experience mild swelling, bruising and pain after but they can easily get back to all the normal physical activities they enjoy in as little as 3 days and as long as 7 days.
The procedure just takes around half an hour. It is often done right in the office of the doctor and does not need booking a surgery room. After it is done, you will need to wear a jockstrap or tight-fitting underwear to increase scrotum support. Besides this, if any discomfort is felt, simple over-the-counter pain medication or ice does the trick.
Vasectomies Cannot Be Reversed
It is hard to pinpoint how this misconception appeared since vasectomies are reversible. All that they do is stop the body from being able to produce sperm. When you want to have a child, it can be reversed. However, you need to remember the fact that this is not a birth control measure that is aimed to be used for a short time. The reversal needs to happen inside a hospital and can only be done sometime after the vasectomy was done.
Vasectomy Effects Are Immediate
This is a really important misconception to stop believing. While a vasectomy is very good at preventing the pregnancy, this does not happen right after you get home. Sperm is still present inside your urethra. This can be the case for months following the vasectomy. Precautions are still needed for up to 3 months after the procedure is done. The doctor will let you know exactly when you can forego the other birth control methods.
Always trust only the doctor when it comes to talking about vasectomies. Anyone can write an article online so you have to be sure that you trust just reputable information sources.
