Reflexes act as a way of total expression of the general reflex activity. They appear in both animals and humans. With pathologies of the nervous system, they can change, linger or completely disappear - it all depends on the nature of the disease. So, the main way to influence the male erection is to stimulate the peripheral nerves, causing the cremasteric reflex - one of the five genital reflexes. Not many people know what it is.
Characteristics and description of the problem
Cremasteric reflex – contraction of the muscle that elevates the testicle in response to irritation provoked by stroking the skin on the inner thigh. As a result of this, the testicle, which is located on the same side, rises towards the inguinal canal. This phenomenon is physiological, it is similar to what is observed during sexual arousal. This phenomenon is of greatimportance for maintaining the normal functioning of the body.
The cremaster reflex in women is called differently. The German doctor Geigel described in his writings the inguinal reflex, which is similar to what appears in men, but leads to muscle contraction in the area of the pupart ligament.
Diagnosing doctors examine the cremasteric reflex to detect the presence of neurological disorders that can cause sexual dysfunction.
What affects the severity of the reflex?
The sex life of every person has several components:
- Sex drive.
- Excitement.
- Erection.
- Orgasm.
The following body systems are responsible for these reactions:
- Hormonal.
- Nervous.
Also responsible for the normal course of processes: the general state of the body, the psyche, the structure and activity of the genital organs.
If any link in this chain is damaged, then there is a violation of sexual function, which entails not only physiological, but also psychological discomfort.
Pathology
There are some deviations during this physiological process:
- Increased cremasteric reflex, which is often confused with pathologies such as cryptorchidism and ectopic testis.
- Decreased reflex or its complete absence due to damage to the nervefibers of the spinal cord or its membranes.
The cremaster reflex in children
Children often have congenital false cryptorchidism - the ability of the testicle to independently move into the inguinal canal from the scrotum as a result of increased functionality of a special muscle.
In boys, the testicles begin to form even during the period of intrauterine development. At the eighth month of a woman's pregnancy, they begin to move into the scrotum, and after birth they should be there. With congenital overactivity of the cremaster, testicles in children may move upward when cold, frightened, or when examined by a doctor.
This phenomenon is not uncommon, in this case, the increased cremaster reflex does not require treatment, as it is not considered a pathology. It is considered to be a normal variant of the development of the genital organs in children. This phenomenon can be observed both in newborns and in older children. It usually gets worse between the ages of two and seven and goes away on its own as the child gets older.
The muscle responsible for moving the testis
The cremaster reflex appears due to the contraction of the cremaster muscle. It is of great importance for the thermoregulation of the testicle, protects it from damage, and also transports the ejaculate. The muscle contracts during sexual arousal, pulling the testicles towards the inguinal canal.
Movement of sperm occurs through a long duct, which depends on the degree of testicular descent, that is, the more it is lowered, the harder it will be to transport the ejaculate up. The cremaster reflex, which occurs due to muscle contraction, moves the testicle up, the transport path becomes shorter, it acquires a horizontal position, facilitating the movement of sperm. And if the reflex is disturbed, an incomplete rise of the testicle can occur, as a result of which the appendages are not completely freed from the ejaculate.
Also, the cremaster muscle, by raising and lowering the testicle, helps maintain a constant temperature in the scrotum.
In moments of danger or hypothermia, men also develop a cremasteric reflex. With sexual arousal, muscle tone increases, it raises the testicle, squeezes the veins that depart from it, and thereby increases the blood supply to the testicles and penis by 50%, facilitating the activation of all processes that occur in them.
Conclusion
The cremaster reflex is of great importance for the normal functioning of the body. Thanks to this phenomenon, many physiological processes are carried out.
Often men complain to doctors about sexual dysfunction. In this case, the doctor recommends undergoing an examination to determine the cause of the pathology, and at the same time, the degree of manifestation of the cremasteric reflex is also studied.
Parents should remember that this reflex is a normal physiological response in children under seven years of age, so there is no need to resort to surgery or other therapy. This phenomenon goes away on its own.
Commonly named reflexweakened or completely absent when one of the segments of the spinal cord (L2) is affected. Having studied all the necessary reflexes in the patient and taking other diagnostic measures, the doctor can make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
