Masturbation myths, sexologists on how much is too much, it’s ill effects and more

Is masturbation bad for your sex life? How much is too much? Can you be addicted to it? Sexologists and experts decode all the myths surrounding this habit.

It’s a topic which men and women discuss with their friends behind closed doors, many a time comparing how many times they can do it in a day. But every now and then there seems to be a discussion regarding whether too much of masturbation can be bad for one’s health and how much is ‘correct’.

Masturbation is basically the process of sexually arousing yourself by touching your genitals.(Shutterstock)

Masturbation is basically the process of sexually arousing yourself by touching your genitals.

“Both men and women practice it and it is normal and safe to masturbate; however, there is a risk of soreness, cuts or bruising if one masturbates too roughly or too hard or if an object is used that could cause damage,” says Dr Vinod Raina, a sexologist in Lybrate, a health platform which connects patients with doctors in India .

“Moreover, doing it a lot can cause your genitals to feel sore. If men do it a lot in a short span of time, they can develop swelling of the penis, called edema, caused by fluid in the tissues. The swelling may disappear within a day or two. It is also possible that the need to masturbate may end up interfering with your everyday life,” explains Dr Raina.

Masturbation if done in excess, could be bad for you, say some experts. (Shutterstock)

On the extreme side of things, there may be cases where people may masturbate more than they desire, which may eventually cause them to miss work, school, or important social events; interrupt their daily functioning; affect their responsibilities and relationships; and may also serve as an escape from relationship issues.

Dr Raina also lists out medical conditions that could arise due to excess masturbation. Blood pressure has also been noted to increase after ejaculation. If a person gets used to masturbating, he will always feel tired. It has also been linked with premature ejaculation, impotence, sex hormonal disorders and genital disorders, and sexually transmitted diseases. A person addicted to masturbating can also become aggressive and be angered easily.

On the other hand, Dr Prakash Kothari who is based in Mumbai, and is the head of the department of sexual medicine at KEM Hospital, has a slightly different opinion.

“Masturbation is a habit and not a disease. There is nothing like excess in masturbation resulting in weakening of the penis. The tongue does not become weak in a talkative person neither does it become strong if one observes silence. The tongue is highly vascular and so is the penis, the tongue does not have bone neither does the penis and both of them are also centrally situated,” he says.

“I have explained this to more than 55,000 cases at KEM Hospital on record. I too had this guilt for which I must have consulted so many doctors. I feel it’s a great anti-anxiety drug free approach,” explains Dr Kothari.

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