From the Guidelines
Orgasm can be a useful adjunct to traditional pain management techniques for certain types of pain, but it should not replace medical treatment for severe or chronic pain conditions. When considering pain management with orgasm, it's essential to prioritize a multimodal approach, including pharmacological, stress management, and manual therapy techniques, as recommended by the American Urological Association guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome 1. This approach can help maximize function and minimize pain and side effects.
Key Considerations
- Orgasm triggers the release of endorphins, oxytocin, and dopamine, which can provide temporary pain relief lasting from minutes to hours.
- For women, clitoral or combined clitoral-vaginal stimulation often produces the strongest pain-relieving effects, while men may benefit from prostate stimulation in addition to penile stimulation.
- Increased blood flow and muscle relaxation during sexual arousal and orgasm can help relieve tension-related pain.
- Pain management should be considered throughout the course of therapy, with the goal of maximizing function and minimizing pain and side effects, as outlined in the AUA guideline 1.
Treatment Approach
- Engage in self-stimulation or consensual sexual activity with a partner when experiencing pain, such as headaches, menstrual cramps, or minor muscle aches.
- Consider manual physical therapy techniques, as well as oral medications like amitriptyline, cimetidine, hydroxyzine, and PPS, or intravesical treatments like DMSO, heparin, and Lidocaine, as recommended by the AUA guideline 1.
- Prioritize a multimodal pain management approach, including pharmacological, stress management, and manual therapy techniques, to achieve satisfactory pain control 1.
From the Research
Treatment of Pain with Orgasm
- There is limited research directly addressing the treatment of pain with orgasm. However, studies have explored the relationship between chronic pain, psychological treatment, and sexual dysfunction.
- A study on chronic pain management suggests that a personalized multimodal, interdisciplinary treatment approach may be effective, which could include pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, integrative treatments, and invasive procedures 2.
- Research on female orgasmic disorder (FOD) has shown that psychological treatment, such as directed masturbation, sensate focus, and psychotherapy, can be effective in helping women with FOD to gain or regain the ability to have orgasms 3.
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has been found to be beneficial in managing chronic pain and its comorbid depression, with significant improvements in pain, depression, and functional capacity 4.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been used to treat sexual dysfunctions in women, including disorders of desire, arousal, orgasm, and pain, with varying degrees of efficacy depending on the specific sexual dysfunction being treated 5.
- Acupuncture has been recommended for several chronic pain conditions, including chronic low back, neck, shoulder, and knee pain, as well as headaches, and may be considered as an adjunct or alternative to opioids, and in perioperative settings 6.