Things That Go Snap! In The Night
Sydney Morning Herald
Wednesday September 27, 1995
FORGET that old cliche "love is blind". Eye doctors in the United States are now saying that love can actually be blinding.
They claim making love can cause temporary loss of vision and have documented six cases of sex-induced blindness in a recent edition of Archives of Ophthalmology. The good news is that it only occurs in one eye and the prognosis for recovery is excellent.
Six patients who ruptured blood vessels in their eyes or tore their retinas all said their loss of vision immediately followed sex. The doctors say this problem is more common in older people and those who hold their breath during sexual activity.
Sex can also be a pain in the neck. Dr Rosie McInnes, a therapist at the Australian Centre for Sexual Health, St Luke's Hospital, says neck injuries during sex are not uncommon. She has seen men who wake up the next morning in such a bad way that they need physiotherapy. In extreme cases some even need traction.
It is common for people not to register discomfort during intercourse. McInnes says this occurs because their pain threshold rises with arousal.
She says people take risks with their spines during intercourse and she warns men with neck or back problems to be careful. "The better the sex, the more damage you can do. In the throes of passion you are unlikely to notice that your head is wedged up against the headboard and you won't realise you've cricked your neck or put your back out until the next morning."
The same lack of pain awareness operates when men get injured by IUDs (intra uterine devices). The string from the device can cause abrasions. If the tip of a dislodged device protrudes from the woman's cervix, it can cause a friction sore on the head of the penis.
There are some types of pain which can bring intercourse to an abrupt halt. Leg cramps are a good example. McInnes says many men complain of cramps during intercourse. Before orgasm they build up a high level of muscular tension. They tense the muscles on their calves, thighs, buttocks, backs and necks. This can cause acute cramps without warning. One way to avoid this is to do leg stretches before sex.
Sudden thunderclap headaches are another sex stopper. Called "benign coital headaches", they occur almost at the peak of passion, seconds before climax. They can last an hour or linger for days. McInnes says men suffering these headaches should not drink alcohol before sex and should have their blood pressure checked. If it is normal they have nothing to worry about apart from the inconvenience. Fortunately, these headaches don't occur every time.
A snapping or popping sound is just about the worst thing a man can hear during sex. McInnes says he hears this if he fractures or snaps his penis. This is rare but it is serious and needs immediate attention.
If a fully erect penis thrusts against a hard surface, it can crack the spongy tissue that fills the penis and makes erection possible. Pain can be severe and delaying treatment may lead to permanent impotence.
It is not uncommon for men to get small abrasions during vigorous intercourse. While these may heal quickly, the problem is that they provide a gateway for the transmission of diseases such as genital warts, herpes and HIV.
A torn frenulum is another common injury. The frenulum is a narrow ridge of skin on the underside of the penis which attaches to both the head and the shaft. Men born with tight frenulum may feel a tear during sex.
A less frequent sex hazard is paraphimosis, also known as "Spanish collar". This occurs when the foreskin will not return to its original position after intercourse. It forms a tight band on the shaft and reduces circulation to the head of the penis. This can cause extreme pain and is an emergency. Treatment is either slitting the band to release the foreskin or circumcision.
And you thought sex sent you deaf!
© 1995 Sydney Morning Herald
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