http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postorgasm ... s_syndrome
Postorgasmic illness syndrome (POIS) is a condition characterized by debilitating symptoms following orgasm that last for a few hours to several days. The phenomenon was first described in 2002.
Symptoms usually appear within half an hour of orgasm and resolve after a few days. One can experience mental symptoms, physical symptoms, or both. Common mental symptoms include cognitive dysfunction, intense discomfort, irritability, anxiety, craving for relief, susceptibility to nervous system stresses (e.g. cold), depressed mood, and difficulty communicating, remembering words, reading and retaining information, concentrating, and socialising. Physical symptoms include severe fatigue, mild to severe headache, and flu-like and allergy-like symptoms, such as sneezing, itchy eyes, nasal irritation, and muscle pain. Affected individuals may also experience intense warmth.
Pathophysiology:
Dexter speculates that POIS could be caused by a lack of progesterone, a powerful neurosteroid, or a defect in neurosteroid precursor synthesis. In the latter case, the same treatment may not be effective for different sufferers. Different sufferers may have different missing precursors, ultimately leading to a deficiency of the same particular neurosteroid, causing similar symptoms.
One researcher suggests that the symptoms may be produced by an autoimmune reaction against any of various hormones or other substances secreted during and after sex. Another suggests that chemical imbalances in the brain may cause the symptoms.
It is difficult to demonstrate a causal relationship based on patient reports.
Postorgasmic illness syndrome (POIS) is a condition characterized by debilitating symptoms following orgasm that last for a few hours to several days. The phenomenon was first described in 2002.
Symptoms usually appear within half an hour of orgasm and resolve after a few days. One can experience mental symptoms, physical symptoms, or both. Common mental symptoms include cognitive dysfunction, intense discomfort, irritability, anxiety, craving for relief, susceptibility to nervous system stresses (e.g. cold), depressed mood, and difficulty communicating, remembering words, reading and retaining information, concentrating, and socialising. Physical symptoms include severe fatigue, mild to severe headache, and flu-like and allergy-like symptoms, such as sneezing, itchy eyes, nasal irritation, and muscle pain. Affected individuals may also experience intense warmth.
Pathophysiology:
Dexter speculates that POIS could be caused by a lack of progesterone, a powerful neurosteroid, or a defect in neurosteroid precursor synthesis. In the latter case, the same treatment may not be effective for different sufferers. Different sufferers may have different missing precursors, ultimately leading to a deficiency of the same particular neurosteroid, causing similar symptoms.
One researcher suggests that the symptoms may be produced by an autoimmune reaction against any of various hormones or other substances secreted during and after sex. Another suggests that chemical imbalances in the brain may cause the symptoms.
It is difficult to demonstrate a causal relationship based on patient reports.