7 Strange things which can happen to your body after you orgasm
There’s nothing which compares with an earth shattering orgasm! How. Good. Are. They.
Orgasms are fantastic for your health (and not just your sexual health), they can help you to sleep better and, based on figures from our Under the Cover Survey 19,840 Aussies will rub one out in the time it takes you to read this article!
We all know our usual physical responses to the big O, right? Weird facial expressions, making a fist, yelling loud enough to make the neighbours wear ear plugs (or is that only me!). But while you’re lying there in post coital bliss we want to reveal some of the more unusual things which can happen to your body post orgasm. In fact a scientific study completed in 2017 aptly called “Did You Climax or Are You Just Laughing at Me?” looked at unusual symptoms people experienced as part of the body’s orgasmic response. They found cases describing weakness, dysphoria, facial and/or ear pain, foot pain, headaches, itchiness, laughter, panic attacks, post-orgasm illness syndrome, seizures, and sneezing.
So if you sometimes feel you have an alien inside your brain sending the wrong signals when you should be feeling blissful … you could be right.
Ouch, I have a headache!
Headaches brought on by sexual activity are more common amongst men than women. The pain usually only lasts a few minutes but it can continue for several days. There are 2 types: pre-orgasmic which is typically a dull pain which increases as sexual excitement does, and orgasmic cephalgia which is a sudden explosive headache followed by throbbing which occurs at the moment of orgasm. Although it’s usually more painful than dangerous, you should mention it to your doctor to check if there is an underlying cause.
Ahhh choo
Yep, sexually induced sneezing is an actual thing and more common that you might realise. Sneezing can occur at any time during the sexual encounter and both men and women can be affected. One possible explanation is that our noses contain erectile tissue which may become engorged during sexual arousal which triggers the sneeze. It was recorded as early as 1897 and it’s been a topic in forums and chat rooms for years. Some people just have to think about sexual activity to trigger a sneeze and there is an actual condition called Honeymoon rhinitis.
Look at all the pretty colours
People with synesthesia experience the world very differently. It’s a neurological condition where your senses are cross-wired so words can have colour, sounds can have smells, and colours can have tastes or combinations of the above. Seeing colour when you orgasm is called orgasm synaesthesia and roughly 1.2% of people with synesthesia experience it during sexual intercourse. But researchers have also found that some people only experience orgasm synaesthesia and have no other symptoms. For some people it’s far more than just colours – they have full on visions with tastes and smells – it’s practically an out of body experience. Other benefits are more intense orgasms and a higher sex drive, downside can be a feeling of disconnection with their partner and a lower satisfaction in their sex life. And we’re not just talking about love children who lived in the 60s.
You might feel sad
Hang on a minute, I’m supposed to feel euphoric, not an emotional wreck. The term dysphoria is often used in relation to gender issues but generally it’s a feeling of mental discomfort or anxiety. The easiest explanation is it that it’s the opposite of euphoria and medically it falls under the obsessive compulsive spectrum. In our blog post Why do you feel sad after sex? We also talked about the hormonal changes you experience during orgasm specifically dopamine and prolactin which can affect your mood. An Australian survey found 10% of Aussie women regularly felt sad after sex. So post coital dysphoria does happen, and it has nothing to do with your partner or their sexual prowess.
I feel so weak
If you have a sleep disorder you might be more prone to experience orgasmolepy which is the sudden onset of weakness following an orgasm possibly triggered by insufficient arousal or a hypocretin deficiency. The symptoms last for less than a minute but can include a complete loss of muscle control. If the symptoms happen during sex the condition is cataplexy and the triggers can include laughter, crying and highly emotional states. And we’re guessing having a whopping big orgasm is at the top of that list.
I think I’m coming down with the flu
Post-orgasmic illness syndrome (POIS) is a rare condition in which men experience flu-like symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, feverishness or sweating, mood changes or irritability, impaired memory, poor concentration, nasal congestion, itchy eyes and even incoherent speech. The most common symptom affecting 80% of sufferers is fatigue and the symptoms occur within seconds, minutes, or a few hours after ejaculation. Some scientists believe it may be due to a semen allergy that causes an immediate hypersensitivity reaction.
You feel out of breath
Having an orgasm can make you feel like you’ve just gone 3 minutes in the boxing ring. When we orgasm our breathing get quicker and our heart rate and blood pressure rise. We’re focussing on the pleasure and not thinking about taking some nice deep breaths. Let’s face it, having sex is a physical activity. The energy expended during an orgasm is equal to walking up a flight of stairs or running for the bus so feeling out of breath is a perfectly normal response.
Please keep in mind that we are not medical professionals and, if you experience any symptoms post orgasm that concern you, our advice is to speak to your medical professional.
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