New research features the story of a 27-year-old man who would break out in hives and experience flu-like symptoms after orgasm.
There’s a technical term for orgasm allergies. Postorgasmic illness syndrome (POIS) is an affliction that affects mostly men, with less than 1,000 reported cases in the country.
The symptoms of the condition are similar to allergies that occur from other sources, with men experiencing a runny nose, itchy eyes, and even memory problems post-orgasm. There’s a cure though, so not all is lost.
The strange illness was reported in ScienceDirect, with the authors publishing their findings in November’s issue of Urology Case Reports. “All symptoms occur immediately (e.g. second), soon (e.g. minutes), or within a few hours after ejaculation that is initiated by coitus, and/or masturbation, and/or spontaneously (e.g. during sleep),” reads the article.
RELATED: Study Claims Men Have Higher Risk Of Cancer Than Women Due To This
Study authors shared the case of one particular subject, a 27-year-old healthy male who first began experiencing symptoms of POIS at age 18. After orgasms, the subject would break out in hives and experience flu-like symptoms. He spent years visiting different doctors and found no cure. By the time he met up with the study’s authors, he was abstaining from all forms of sexual activity.
The male in question relayed that his first allergic reaction occurred after he had recovered from acute epididymitis, a condition that causes inflammation in the scrotum. Researchers theorized that the infection that caused the disease might have triggered this immune response, which continued to present itself over the years.
RELATED: These People Have The Most Sex, According To New Poll
Finally, researchers managed to get the allergy under control by prescribing an antihistamine, which is used to treat the common cold, allergies, and the like. The medication along with the suggestion to increase his frequency of orgasms resulted in a 90% decrease in allergic reactions. A happy ending!
