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Post orgasmic illness syndrome: a review

International Journal of Impotence Research (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

POIS is a rare condition characterized by multisystem symptoms with unclear aetiology. Various attempts have been made to characterize this condition and knowledge is still evolving regarding its aetiology and effective treatment. We have summarized the findings in the English language literature for this rare condition. PubMed search was performed and over 300 English language articles which were screened for relevance. 34 articles were deemed suitable for inclusion. POIS occurs in age range of 21–61 years. Onset of symptoms is usually within 45 min and lasts for an average of 7 days. Primary POIS accounts for approximately half of the cases in literature. The three commonest symptoms were fatigue (68.7), poor concentration (63.9%) and irritation (51.9%). Treatments with variable efficacy which have been proposed include hyposensitisation, antihistamines, alpha blockers, NSAIDS and testosterone replacements. POIS is an important condition which affects the quality of life of men. It is vital that it is managed on a sound scientific basis

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Data from the research is available within the article and can be provided on request from the authors(BO, IP).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, Bolton, UK

    Benjamin Olasunkanmi Odusanya

  2. Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

    Ian Pearce & Vaibhav Modgil

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  1. Benjamin Olasunkanmi Odusanya
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  2. Ian Pearce
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BO involved in study conception and design, data collection, analysis and manuscript preparation. IP involved in study conception and design, data collection, analysis and manuscript preparation. VB involved in study conception and design, and manuscript preparation.

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Correspondence to Benjamin Olasunkanmi Odusanya.

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Odusanya, B.O., Pearce, I. & Modgil, V. Post orgasmic illness syndrome: a review. Int J Impot Res (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-024-00860-3

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