While subjects such as impotence and premature ejaculation are the focus of research and the development of new drugs, one male sexual issue that’s rarely spoken about is the ‘dry orgasm’.
Social psychologist and human sexuality expert Dr. Justin Lehmiller deals with the topic in his forthcoming book Tell Me What You Want, and told Cosmopolitan that he wanted to deal with it as there’s not a lot of research on the topic.
The dry orgasm is a phenomenon where men experience the physical sensation of climax, but don’t actually ejaculate.
One cause is having very frequent sex, as men who have several orgasms in a short time period tend to release less and less semen each time.
While it won’t lead to any serious health issues, it obviously has implications for a couple trying to conceive.
This is obviously problematic for people who are trying to have children,’ Dr. Lehmiller said. ‘Persistent dry orgasms will make it difficult for them to reproduce.
Too much sex over a short period of time can lead to men suffering from a phenomenon called a dry orgasm (stock image)
‘So if you and your partner are trying to get pregnant and you have dry orgasms, it’d be worth seeing a fertility specialist for treatment.’
The condition can also be a sign of an underlying medical problem such as diabetes or a prostate issue.
An enlarged prostate is one possible cause of the issue as it can cause retrograde ejaculation, where semen is ‘pushed into the bladder instead of being expelled from the body’.
Another, less worrying cause it having very frequent sex, as men who have several orgasms in a short time period tend to release less and less semen each time.
Retrograde ejaculation can also be caused by diabetes and some medications, such as treatment for high blood pressure.
It can also cause stress and confusion for the man who doesn’t understand what’s happening.
Dr Lehmiller says that if you want a child, then dry orgasms could be a problem and men may need to see a fertility specialist for treatment.
However, he also said: ‘Even if fertility isn’t a concern, you may still want to get checked out by a doctor if this becomes a recurring issue to ensure there isn’t some underlying medical condition that needs to be treated.’
Although there aren’t any serious health risks caused by a dry orgasm, it can lead to fertility issues (stock image)