Over the years, discussions on male sexual health have always revolved around erectile dysfunction, and premature, and delayed ejaculation, overshadowing other disorders that require prompt medical attention.
Few talk about post-orgasmic illness syndrome (POIS), a condition that causes men to have flu-like symptoms, extreme fatigue, weakness, loss of concentration and irritability immediately after ejaculation.
"Can a man have an allergic reaction to his own sperms? I mean get sick an hour after ejaculating?," one man asked.
This condition is called POIS, says Ahmed Yousef, a urologist at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi. The condition affects a small number of people. It causes a range of physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms after sexual activity, especially orgasm. These symptoms can have a significant impact on the man's quality of life and cause emotional distress.
Prof Yousef says POIS is a syndrome that is not widely known, even among some medical professionals. This is due to a lack of awareness as well as the fact that people often shy away from discussing topics related to sex.
According to the urologist, a specialist who deals with diseases of the urinary tract and the male reproductive tract, POIS is characterised by general fatigue that occurs after ejaculation and is caused by an allergic reaction to semen.
“It is a psychological condition that can manifest as a physical sickness. Despite being painless and lacking any noticeable health effects, if left untreated, it can significantly impact a man's physical performance, particularly regarding sexual function. Additionally, some men may experience fatigue that can cause them to remain at home,” he says.
Although the syndrome has been reported in females too after an orgasm, primarily most of the data and case reports come from male patients.
“The peak of POIS syndrome normally happens to middle-aged people since they are more sexually active. However, the younger and the older males can also experience it," says Prof. Yousef.
A patient is experiencing a range of symptoms which include fever, nasal congestion, itching eyes, fatigue, painful and heavy muscles, concentration difficulties, and irritation.
According to Prof. Yousef, these symptoms seem to be independent of how ejaculation is achieved, whether through masturbation, intercourse, or night-time spontaneous emission. The symptoms are also absent when sexual activity has occurred but ejaculation has not.
“The symptoms usually begin within minutes after ejaculation and can last between 15 minutes up to two weeks in some patients and spontaneously resolve until the next ejaculation,” he says.
The consequences of POIS on the patient and the partner are significant with many expressing feelings of guilt and concern regarding their sexual relationships.
Most men have such extreme fatigue post-ejaculation that they start to avoid sexual activity completely.
Prof. Yousef says currently, there is no known cure for POIS. However, patients can be treated with medicine that reduces allergies and inflammation, similar to other autoimmune diseases.
“Medications such as antihistamines for allergies are given to the patient as well as testosterone boosters such as human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG),” he says.
Despite several strategies having been tried to treat this disorder, success cannot be guaranteed. Prof. Yousef recommends that patients should be counselled appropriately.
He however says that the painful truth with this syndrome is that one will suffer whether they engage in sexual intercourse or not.
Despite the urgent need for more attention to the syndrome, there is no actual data to show POIS prevalence in Kenya. Globally, the prevalence is between one to three percent pointing to a lack of awareness of the syndrome and the need to do more research and data to curb its effects.
