Dr. Paul Cragg

1.  Does it hurt?

            Answer:  Very little.  The worst part of having a vasectomy at our Clinic is thinking about it!  We have found that men worry most about getting a needle “down there”.  The EMLA freezing patch helps to minimize the feeling of the needle.  The needle is also very thin, making it more comfortable.  The doctor’s skill in inserting the needle reduces the discomfort even more.  Almost all men are relieved and surprised at how little discomfort there is with the needle. 

As a rule, the procedure itself can be felt as movement, brief sensation of pressure and pushing.  None of these are usually described as “pain”, but occasionally some pain can be felt.  The doctor is very careful to proceed only when the freezing is working well, and if it’s not (and it hurts), he will insert more freezing right away until the procedure is comfortable.

2.  Will it affect my sex life?

            Answer:  Without the aggravation of birth control methods like condoms, diaphragms and foam, sex becomes more spontaneous and enjoyable.  Fear of pregnancy is gone, also contributing to a better sex life.  Birth control methods with increased health risks for women, such as birth control pills, hormone injections, and Intra-Uterine Devices (IUDs) are no longer a concern or impacting on a couple’s love life.

One serious situation that may impact on sex is the rare instance when the man is left with pain or tenderness following the operation that is aggravated by sex.  This condition is occasionally chronic (doesn’t go away) and is one of the more serious worries associated with vasectomy.  FORTUNATELY, the risk of this happening is so low (much less than 1 per 1000), that the benefits of vasectomy far outweigh the risk of such an outcome.

3.  When will I be able to have sex?

            Answer:  It is a good idea to avoid intercourse for a week as all the movement, which is pretty hard to avoid, could stir up some pain, swelling or bleeding.  However, it doesn’t do any harm to have an erection and ejaculate – what I call “gentle sex” (use your own imagination for the details!).  The man may feel a bit tender as this is an operation, although small, and this may curb his sexual enthusiasm for a few days.

4.  When can I go back to work?

Answer:  Often men go back to a non-physical type of job, eg. office work, the next day.  Keep in mind that Friday is a popular day for vasectomies as the weekend is usually available to rest and take it easy without losing time from work.  Men with a more physically strenuous job are strongly advised to make arrangements at work to have light duties for two weeks.  The doctor is very willing to provide a form indicating the need for this, or to fill out any form provided by employers.

5.   Do I really have to wait 10 weeks to get tested?

            Answer:  Yes.  Nature likes to keep us reproducing and is inclined to reconnect the cut tube(s) for this purpose.  This is most likely to occur during the active healing progress – the first few weeks, and by 10 weeks the healing is pretty well stable with no changes in the internal scar likely.  What happens is that a microscopic channel can form in the scar tissue that heals the cut inside and bridge the gap to hook things up again.

6.  Can vasectomy cause cancer – prostate, testicle, or anywhere?

            Answer:  No.  There has been found no statistical evidence to support this being a risk.  It has been well researched over the past 10 years or more and given a “clean bill of health” by many reputable agencies – Cancer Societies, Centre for Disease control, etc.  No association with any other disease besides cancer has been found either eg. heart disease, arthritis, etc.  Try searching the Internet under “vasectomy, cancer” to find some helpful links.