A rare condition in which a man develops flu-like symptoms after ejaculation (when semen is released from the penis). Specific symptoms can include extreme fatigue, weakness, feverishness or sweating, mood changes or irritability, memory or concentration problems, and/or a stuffy nose or itching eyes. Symptoms may occur within seconds, minutes, or a few hours after ejaculation. Most symptoms last for 2 to 7 days and go away on their own. The underlying cause of POIS is poorly understood. Some scientists believe it may be due to a semen allergy that causes an immediate hypersensitivity reaction. There is no standard treatment for POIS, but some men have been treated with SSRIs, antihistamines, and/or benzodiazepines. Hyposensitization therapy (decreasing the immune response by exposure to semen) reportedly improved symptoms in two men with POIS. [ https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/10809/postorgasmic-illness-syndrome ]
Synonyms: POIS
Term information
- UMLS:C4749582 (MONDO:equivalentTo)
- GARD:10809 (MONDO:GARD)
- MEDGEN:1663577 (MONDO:equivalentTo)
- Orphanet:279947 (MONDO:equivalentTo)
gard_rare, ordo_disorder, ordo_clinical_syndrome, rare, nord_rare, orphanet_rare
http://www.orpha.net/ORDO/Orphanet_279947
http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/umls/id/C4749582
http://identifiers.org/medgen/1663577