Question:
I am 27 years old now. I used to masturbate from ages 13 until 17. Then I realized it to be a bad habit and did not masturbate intentionally. Now at 27, I’m bedwetting twice a week. Even if I think [of something] sexy, I feel a kind of sticky liquid on my inner thighs. I checked with a doctor, but was nervous when talking to them, and the doctor said it’s normal for all men and did not run any tests. I’m still a little worried about bed wetting twice a week. I don’t smoke or drink alcohol. I prefer to eat veggies always. My family is planning marriage for me now.
Please advise me on how to proceed further. Is this not a big issue like the doctor said? Shall I carry on with my vegetable and fruit-filled diet? Should I have other tests done?
Answer:
First, I want to clarify that “bedwetting” means a “wet dream” or involuntary release of semen from the penis with or without experiencing erotic/sexual desire without an erection, defined medically as spermatorrhea – rather than “bedwetting” that is defined as uncontrolled urination while sleeping.
I cannot be certain if this is “not a big issue” for you as your doctor said, or will negatively impact fertility health. I have no reason to doubt his thoughts, but I am not a medical doctor.
The involuntary release of semen can be normal in males of all ages. It is when semen leakage is a result of excessive self-stimulation (masturbation), that it becomes classified as a male sexual disorder (a sign of sexual exhaustion).
Masturbation when practiced excessively causes:
- overstimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system
- overproduction of androgens, male sex hormones (testosterone), and neurotransmitters
- drains a male’s sexual energy
- a male to only be able to achieve erection when feeling certain physical sensations (e.g. the pressure and movement of a hand, versus a vagina)
- stress of the prostate
- stress of the pubococcygeus muscle (PC muscle) that stretches from the pubic bone to the tailbone and controls the flow of urine and semen (also contracts during orgasm)
- lowered sperm count
Masturbation can be practiced in moderation (at least 4 times a month). If sperm is not ejaculated regularly it stays in the gonads longer and, as a result, is exposed to more toxins and free radicals (oxidative stress) which can damage sperm. Masturbating helps sperm turn-over to help prevent oxidative sperm.
Moving forward, it may be good that you have stopped frequently masturbating as you prepare for marriage and entertain the idea of fathering children. There is potential for involuntary release of semen to progress to premature ejaculation which is a male fertility health condition where ejaculation occurs before the penis enters the vagina. Premature ejaculation is one of the three most common fertility issues men experience and can contribute to a couple’s inability to conceive.
Do continue eating your vegetable and fruit-filled diet. This is great! There are specific foods men should consider eating while preparing for conception and to boost fertility health.
Use natural therapies to support healthy sperm production and manage stress and anxiety (concern and worry about semen leakage). Our guides to Stress and Your Fertility and Improving Male Fertility may be helpful.
Consider doing Kegels. Contracting and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles repeatedly will help to keep strength in the PC muscle. An internet search will lead you to more specific directions on how to do Kegels (although they are more often used for female reproductive health, the muscle is the same in women and men).
Lastly, it may also help to seek psycho-emotional counseling or sexual therapy if working through this issue alone is not proving helpful. Don’t be ashamed or nervous! Your concerns are real and you deserve support.
- Barton-Schuster, D. (n.d.). Sperm: 10 Interesting Facts Everyone Should Know. Retrieved from: http://natural-fertility-info.com/10-facts-about-sperm.html
- Pubococcygeus. (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/pubococcygeus
- Spermatorrhea. (n.d.) Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. (2003). Retrieved from: http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/spermatorrhea
- Spermatorrhea. (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://www.ayurvedresearchfoundation.com/herbal-treatment-for-spermatorrhea.htm
