Spermatorrhea

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Spermatorrhea is a condition of excessive, involuntary seminal discharge. In several cultures, this referred to ejaculation outside of certain approved sexual practices and was thus a subjective term. A more modern medical definition is the excessive release of semen with no accompanying erection or orgasm. [1]

In Western medicine during the nineteenth century, spermatorrhea was regarded as a medical disorder with corrupting and devastating effects on the mind and body. [2] The cure for spermatorrhea was regarded as enforced chastity and avoidance of masturbation, with circumcision sometimes being used as a treatment. [3] [4] [5]

Traditional Chinese medicine counts the production of semen as one of the biggest strains on jing (kidney essence). It is a recognized disorder in traditional Chinese medicine, in which certain patterns of involuntary ejaculation reflect problems with kidney qi. [6] [7]

In Ayurvedic Medicine, Ashwagandha and Bala are used to treat this vata ailment. Indian Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) also has medicinal prescription using the herb. [8]

In the 18th and 19th centuries, if a patient had ejaculations outside marital intercourse, or released more semen than is typical, then he was diagnosed with a disease called spermatorrhea or "seminal weakness". A variety of drugs and other treatments, including circumcision and castration, were advised as treatment. [4] [9] [10] Some alternative practitioners, especially herb healers, continue to diagnose and advise treatments for cases of spermatorrhea.[ citation needed ]

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ejaculation</span> Semen discharge from the male reproductive tract

Ejaculation is the discharge of semen from the testicles through the penis and out the urethra. It is the final stage and natural objective of male sexual stimulation, and an essential component of natural conception. After forming an erection, many men emit pre-ejaculatory fluid during stimulation prior to ejaculating. Ejaculation involves involuntary contractions of the pelvic floor and is normally linked with orgasm. It is a normal part of male human sexual development.

Postorgasmic illness syndrome (POIS) is a syndrome in which human males have chronic physical and cognitive symptoms following ejaculation. The symptoms usually onset within seconds, minutes, or hours, and last for up to a week. The cause and prevalence are unknown; it is considered a rare disease.

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<span title="Chinese-language text"><i lang="zh-Latn">Huanjing bunao</i></span> Retrograde ejaculation in Daoism

Huanjing bunao is a Daoist sexual practice and yangsheng method aimed at maintaining arousal for an extended plateau phase while avoiding orgasm. According to this practice, retaining unejaculated jing supposedly allows it to rise through the spine to nourish the brain and enhance overall well-being. Daoist adepts have been exploring various methods to avoid ejaculation for more than two thousand years. These range from meditative approaches involving breath-control or visualization to manual techniques such as pressing the perineum or squeezing the urethra.

References

  1. Zhang, L.; Yu, H.; Li, D.; Qian, H.; Chen, Y. (2021). "Spermatorrhea in a Chinese patient with temporal lobe epilepsy: a case report". The Journal of International Medical Research. 49 (1). doi:10.1177/0300060520982814. PMC   7812405 . PMID   33445995.
  2. Darby R (July 2005). "Pathologizing male sexuality: Lallemand, spermatorrhea, and the rise of circumcision". J Hist Med Allied Sci. 60 (3): 283–319. doi:10.1093/jhmas/jri042. PMID   15917258. S2CID   29249045.
  3. Keane JR (June 1994). "The neurological complications of spermatorrhoea". Arch. Neurol. 51 (6): 600–3. doi:10.1001/archneur.1994.00540180078017. PMID   8198472.
  4. 1 2 Moscucci, Ornella (1996). "Male masturbation and the offending prepuce". In Miller, Andrew H. (ed.). Sexualities in Victorian Britain. James Eli Adams. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. pp. 63–64. ISBN   0-253-33066-1 . Retrieved April 7, 2011.
  5. William Acton. "Victorian London - Disease - Spermatorrhoea." From Prostitution, considered in its Moral, Social, and Sanitary Aspects. 2nd edition, 1870. Compiled in Lee Jackson's The Victorian Dictionary.
  6. "Acupuncture . acuxo . Library". www.acuxo.com. Archived from the original on 2006-03-21.
  7. "New Treatments - Kratom, CBD, Kratom Reviews & Many More..." Archived from the original on June 12, 2008.
  8. "Bala - Medicine Buddha Healing Center - Ayurveda Healing Arts Institute - Nalanda University - Indian Tibetan Ayurvedic Chinese Medicine Distance Learning Buddhist Correspondence Courses". Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2009-12-13.
  9. William Acton. "Victorian London – Disease – Spermatorrhoea." From Prostitution, considered in its Moral, Social, and Sanitary Aspects. 2nd edition, 1870. Compiled in Lee Jackson's The Victorian Dictionary.
  10. Darby, Robert J. L. (2005). A Surgical Temptation: The Demonization Of The Foreskin And The Rise Of Circumcision In Britain. Chicago: University of Chicago press. p. 198. ISBN   0-226-13645-0 . Retrieved 29 July 2012.