It is a hormonal disorder that occurs in men and is caused by long-term insufficiency of the testicles. In Europe, this disease is extremely rare.
Eunuchoidism is also defined as a disease related to the improper functioning of the endocrine system, as a result of which the male sexual organs are not fully developed. The name of the disease comes from the Greek word eunuch, meaning guardian of the bed. Eunuchs were castrated men employed in harems to guard the court concubines.
The causes of eunuchoidism
Eunuchoidism can be congenital or acquired. Congenital is the result of anorchia, that is, a congenital lack of testicles. Acquired, on the other hand, may be a consequence of castration, testicular inflammation, which is a complication of mumps or testicular torsion. In all cases, the male body does not produce enough testosterone, the male sex hormone. Another cause of the disease may be a lack of hormones secreted by the pituitary gland, such as luteinizing hormone, which stimulates the production of testosterone.
Eunuchoidism is diagnosed by assessing a man’s physique, confirmation of symptoms typical for the disease, and hormonal tests that confirm the insufficient level of hormones influencing the development of male characteristics.
Symptoms of the disease
Affected men are characterized by:
– underdevelopment of genital organs,
– small testicles,
– female hair type, i.e. a lot of hair on the head and no facial hair, chest,
– unnaturally tall stature and long limbs,
– reduced muscle strength,
– uncharacteristic for men high timbre of the voice, the so-called treble,
– lower sex drive,
– deposition of adipose tissue in places typical for women, i.e. on the pubic mound, abdomen, buttocks and hips,
– enlargement of the mammary glands and nipples,
– delicate skin referred to as female skin,
– infertility.
The severity of these symptoms depends on the degree of testosterone deficiency. A mental attitude is also typical of people suffering from eunochoidism. Usually, these men are mentally withdrawn, are reluctant to make decisions, and cannot be firm. Most often, they are also passive and submit to the will of those around them. In these men it is also difficult to see the secondary and tertiary sex characteristics typical of this gender. And they include a specific body structure, i.e. narrow hips and wide shoulders, visible body muscles and the so-called Adam’s apple, i.e. the protrusion on the neck resulting from the mutation of the discoid cartilage.
Treatment of eunuchoidism
The treatment of the disease consists in the lifelong intake of testosterone, which is to contribute to the development of a man’s characteristics characteristic of his gender. A very important and inseparable element of the therapy is constant mental support.
Men with eunuchoidism tend to have very low self-esteem, which negatively affects their relationship with the opposite sex. They usually give up sexual intercourse because they don’t feel any sex drive. And even when they try to have sex, each act ends in failure. An additional element that weighs down a man’s psyche is the awareness of infertility. These men require the care of an experienced psychiatrist or psychologist who will be able to develop a higher self-esteem with the patient, thus protecting them from severe depression. This is extremely important because many men with this condition resort to suicide attempts.
Tekst: Anna Jarosz