There is a lot of misinformation about masturbation floating
around the internet. Masturbation will not cause you to grow hair on your
palms, will not cause erectile dysfunction, and will not harm your kidneys.
The myth that masturbation harms your kidneys may have its
origins in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
According to a small 2020 study, supporters of this system
previously believed that men with poor kidney function (ShenKui) had poor
sexual performance.
It was thought that your kidneys were the reservoir of
sperm, and that frequent masturbation and ejaculation could cause imbalances in
your body, leading to illness.
However, there is no scientific basis for this idea, and
there is no evidence that frequent ejaculation or masturbation is harmful to
one's health.
In this article, we'll debunk the myth that masturbation is
bad for your kidneys and look at one kidney condition where masturbation may be
beneficial.
Does masturbation affect your kidneys?
There is no evidence that masturbation is harmful to your
kidney health. There is also no evidence that masturbation causes kidney
failure, disease, or pain.
Some people mistakenly believe that protein and nutrient
loss through sperm can cause kidney damage. Again, there is no scientific
support for this theory.
There are very few nutrients in sperm that are present in
semen. The few nutrients have no discernible effect on your health.
According to a 2013 research review, there is an average of
5.04 grams of protein in 100 milliliters of sperm, or about 0.25 grams in one
ejaculation of sperm.
To replace this amount of protein, drink about 1/2
tablespoon of milk or eat 0.1 ounces of chickpeas.
Masturbation and kidney stones
There is some evidence that masturbation may aid in the
removal of kidney stones. Researchers examined the effect of masturbating 3 to
4 times per week on dropping 5- to 10-millimeter stones in a 2020 study.
Masturbation combined with standard medical therapy was
found to be as effective as tamsulosin combined with standard medical therapy
by the researchers. Though the study raises an intriguing concept, further
research is required to fully comprehend it.
What are the benefits of masturbation?
There are only a few studies that specifically look at the
benefits of masturbation. The majority of research has focused on the benefits
of orgasms or ejaculation.
Masturbation, on the other hand, causes the release of
hormones and chemicals such as dopamine, endorphins, oxytocin, testosterone,
and prolactin.
Changes in these hormone levels may have advantages such as
improving your mood, relieving stress and anxiety, promoting calmness, and
assisting you in falling asleep.
Masturbation may also help relieve menstrual cramps in women
who have vaginal organs.
Are there any potential side effects of masturbation?
Masturbation is not known to be harmful to one's health.
There are, however, some possible physical and emotional side effects.
Guilt
Many people feel guilty after masturbating, which is often
due to religious, cultural, or spiritual beliefs.
Masturbation is a normal and healthy sexual activity that
should not be ashamed of. If you're feeling guilty about masturbating, talk to
someone you trust or a therapist who specializes in sexual health.
Addiction
Masturbation addiction is the uncontrollable desire to
masturbate. There is no clinical diagnosis for masturbation addiction, and it
is still debated whether it is an addiction or a compulsion.
The following are signs that you may have developed
unhealthy masturbation habits:
- masturbation interferes with your daily life
- you find it difficult to stop thinking about masturbating
- you masturbate even when you aren’t aroused
- you masturbate in public
- masturbating negatively impacts your relationships or
social life
- you use masturbation to deal with negative emotions
- you cancel plans or events to masturbate
Some people can overcome masturbation addiction on their
own, but speaking with a sex therapist can help.
Physical side effects
Masturbating with an overly tight grip is thought to
desensitize nerves and reduce feeling in people who have a penis. This is
referred to as "death grip syndrome."
This may make it difficult to orgasm without repeating the
same motion over time.
People with vaginas can develop a similar condition in which
their nerves become desensitized as a result of masturbating with excessive
pressure.
If you're experiencing desensitization, you might benefit
from taking a few weeks off from masturbation or changing your technique to use
less pressure.
Masturbation on a regular basis can also cause soreness or
chafing. If this happens to you, try taking a break until the pain goes away.
Using lubricant while masturbating may help to keep the worry at bay.
What could cause kidney pain after masturbation?
It is extremely unlikely that masturbation will cause kidney
pain. If you have pain in your lower back after masturbating, it is very likely
that the pain is caused by poor masturbation posture.
A heat pack and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication
can help relieve the pain.
Another possibility is that you have kidney stones or
another kidney problem and didn't realize it until after you masturbated.
If you do not use good hygiene practices when masturbating,
you may develop a urinary tract infection (UTI). Because they have a shorter
urethra, people with vaginas are much more likely to get a UTI than people with
penises.
Burning when urinating, frequent urge to urinate, abdominal
pain, foul-smelling urine, cloudy urine, and blood in your urine are all
symptoms of a UTI.
UTIs can spread to your kidneys if left untreated. A kidney
infection is a potentially serious condition that necessitates immediate
medical attention. It can cause fever, sharp pain in your lower back, nausea,
vomiting, and chills in addition to the symptoms of a bladder infection.
If you experience any type of distressing pain after
masturbating, seek medical attention as soon as possible for proper examination
and treatment.
Conclusion
There is no scientific evidence that masturbation harms your
kidneys or causes other health problems. Masturbation may even have some
potential benefits, such as improving your mood or assisting you to sleep.
It is entirely up to you whether or not to masturbate. You
can do it if you want, or you can choose not to do it.
If you're concerned that you're masturbating too frequently,
talk to a sex therapist or someone you trust about your feelings.