You likely don't need someone to explain why orgasms are beneficial, because, well, duh. But an Arizona man claims there is another, fairly unknown benefit: clear sinuses.
On the television talk show The Doctors, a man named Skyler explained he had found relief from sinus congestion after masturbating. His wife was skeptical, so they turned to the TV doctors to settle their dispute.
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So, what's the verdict? Can this possibly be true, and if so, whaaaa?
Turns out, it's something that's only been anecdotally observed, according to Beverly Hills–based plastic surgeon Andrew Ordon, who also holds an ear, nose and throat specialty and is co-host of the show.
He explained to Newsweek that ejaculating stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, which also plays a role in bodily processes like pupil dilation and sweating. The thinking goes, that as a result of the surge to this system, various muscles in your body contract, and that includes the ones inside your nose.
This is, of course, just a theory, but Ordon said anatomy and physiology supports this theory. And it isn't the first time the phenomenon has been documented. In the journal, Medical Hypotheses, Sina Zarrintan, proposed that orgasms could be a viable treatment strategy for sinus congestion in men.
"It can be done time to time to alleviate the congestion, and the patient can adjust the number of intercourses or masturbations depending on the severity of the symptoms," Zarrintan wrote.
Zarrintan penned his offbeat method as a long-term solution since using decongestants for days on end aren't advised.
Ordon agreed that drugs aren't a great option for the chronically congested. He said your nose can get addicted to using these over-the-counter solutions for long periods, and eventually they won't work as well.
Other people have observed the same benefits as Skyler and shared their experiences with strangers on the internet. A search for "orgasm and sinus congestion" unveils Reddit threads and various message boards of people documenting their own stories.
As one Redditor wrote, "My husband has allergies, and we noticed this early on after getting married! We used to joke that marriage cleared up his sinuses and would laugh. Then we found out that orgasm really does this."
So far, the same effect doesn't seem to be documented in women. Ordon explained that ejaculation is different for the sexes, and women don't receive as big of a surge to their sympathetic nervous system. However, he didn't rule out the possibility.
Of course, there are other ways to clear your sinuses naturally without nasal spray, like saline or steam. But that's really just not as fun.
"Before you try Afrin, have a good orgasm, whether male or female," Ordon joked.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Melissa is a science writer covering health for Newsweek and has contributed to Inc., Dr. Oz The Good Life, Men's Fitness, Marie Claire and others. She earned ... Read more
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