Men can be allergic to their own orgasms: study

There’s a new kind of nut allergy.

A recent study published in Urology Case Reports found that some men can have allergic reactions to their own orgasms, with symptoms presenting themselves as muscle weakness, sneezing, cough or fever.

Symptoms can also include issues with speech, concentration and memory. Researchers believe the reaction can be a result of an allergic or autoimmune response to the sperm.

Nearly 60 cases of post-orgasmic illness syndrome have been identified, but “many more” could unknowingly have it, said Andrew Shanholtzer, co-author of the study from Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine.

“Many health providers do not know about it, let alone the public. It is more than likely that it is underdiagnosed, with many sufferers out there,” he explained.

Post-orgasmic illness syndrome is often misdiagnosed due to its little-known status, which leads to patients going through many unnecessary tests and treatments.

The study says there is no most effective treatment at the moment, but several case reports have proved desensitization, hormonal therapy and other treatments could help — though they are experimental and have not been tested in a clinical trial.

While there is no known cure, Shanholtzer and his team have successfully treated one 27-year-old with POIS.

When the man was 18, he noticed he was coughing, sneezing, had a runny nose and got a hive-like rash on his arms after having an orgasm, according to the study. He also experienced swelling in the lymph glands on his face and neck. The more he ejaculated, the worse the symptoms got.

No general practitioners could figure out what was wrong with him, so a team of scientists experimented with different types of antihistamines until they found a solution with fexofenadine that lessened his symptoms by up to 90%.

Shanholtzer said the orgasm allergy can arise from infections or injuries to the testicles, which can lead to microscopic amounts of sperm making their way into the bloodstream.

“The immune cells in the body are trained to attack any foreign substances found,” he said. “There are special cells called Sertoli cells that nurture and surround sperm and keep it isolated from immune cells. When the Sertoli cells are damaged, the sperm is exposed to the immune system for the first time and the immune system attacks the sperm like it is a virus or foreign bacterium”

The allergy symptoms can linger anywhere from a few days to a week and are now being recognized as the cause of sexual dysfunction in men. Symptoms can occur immediately, within minutes or within a few hours after ejaculation and will occur either always or nearly every time.