Does sex make you sick?

1 in 100 Men May Be Allergic to Their Own Semen

Published April 01, 2011
| FoxNews.com

Imagine becoming physically ill every time you have an orgasm. You'd never want to have sex.

Some medical researchers believe 1 in 100 men may have post-orgasmic illness syndrome (POIS), health24.com reported.

Doctors think the number may be higher because men may feel ashamed to admit they have a problem.

Symptoms are both psychological and physical.

Some psychological symptoms include, but are not limited to, anxiety and irritability, cognitive dysfunction, which may include trouble concentrating, communicating, remembering words, or socializing, and frightening dreams.

Physical symptoms include fevers, runny nose, headaches, nausea, backaches and muscle pain and allergy-like symptoms including itchy eyes, sneezing, swollen lips and throat, rashes and hives.

In the past, researchers have suggested POIS was caused by chemical imbalances or a lack of progesterone or low testosterone in the brain. This year,

Dutch researchers discovered men who have POIS may be allergic to their own semen.

Some POIS patients avoid sex altogether, but others have had success with non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. The Dutch scientists have found success with hyposensitization , where the patient is given diluted shots of his own semen over an extended period of time.

Now we have all heard of women complaining about having head aches to avoid having sex. Maybe these are just excuses men use to get out of having sex with their SOs.