# can one ask a sex/medical question if it's legit? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 17, 2007, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299 "2007-03-17T03:40:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![benny73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@benny73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benny73)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299/1 "2007-03-17T03:40:10Z")
if the mods take this down i’ll understand. i looked as best i could on the internet and haven’t been able to get any answers. so because this place is so active with lots of bright people i’ll take a chance … if a middle age guy doesn’t get ANY sexual relief, including that activity that starts with an m, then does his chances of getting cancer down there go through the roof? it’s been well over two years and so i’d kinda like to seriously know if maybe i should start thinking about increasing my life insurance policy and maybe mentally try and brace myself for what i’d assume will be an agonizing death (if this is likely how i’m going to go). thanks for any info you can share. and i hope i didn’t do a no no by asking such a question. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299/2 "2007-03-17T03:44:58Z")
Doesn’t this “Shift key” work on your computer? By the way, did you mean “masturbate” for the “m” word? Are you asking if not having a sexual release for a couple years will give you cancer? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299/3 "2007-03-17T03:49:43Z")
I have read that prostate health statistially increases with the frequency of orgasms. A little Googling backs this up but I can’t vouch for the veracity of the links. ---
**Author:** ![benny73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@benny73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benny73)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299/4 "2007-03-17T03:50:38Z")
Yes. Yes. Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Caridwen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@Caridwen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caridwen)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299/5 "2007-03-17T03:52:03Z")
Are you taking any medication? ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299/6 "2007-03-17T03:58:54Z")
Dude. Just M. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299/7 "2007-03-17T04:04:51Z")
I’m with **hajario**. I remember reading that frequent orgasms = increase in prostate health. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that infrequent orgasms = decrease in prostate health. ---
**Author:** ![benny73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@benny73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benny73)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299/8 "2007-03-17T04:05:41Z")
[QUOTE=Caridwen] Are you taking any medication? [/QUOTE] No. ---
**Author:** ![benny73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@benny73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benny73)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299/9 "2007-03-17T04:07:06Z")
[QUOTE=mr. jp] Dude. Just M. [/QUOTE] Ah, no. those days are over. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299/10 "2007-03-17T04:11:30Z")
[QUOTE=benny73] Yes. Yes. Yes. [/QUOTE] Sounds like he’s taking care of it. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299/11 "2007-03-17T13:46:27Z")
[QUOTE=Antigen] Sounds like he’s taking care of it. [/QUOTE] Not until we get an _Oh God!_ ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299/12 "2007-03-17T15:19:50Z")
There is no convincing medical evidence that orgasms/ejaculations or lack of them play a role in one’s risk for prostate cancer. Likewise testicular cancer, or any other oncologic process. Now sex can play a role in raising cancer risk. Generally getting the HP virus raises the risk of a woman getting cervical cancer, and HPV is only acquired thru intercourse. Also getting HIV raises one’s risk for getting a variety of malignancies, such as Kaposi’s sarcoma. But your basic abstinence does not seem to carry any untoward _physiological_ threats to health or life. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299/13 "2007-03-17T15:44:50Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] But your basic abstinence does not seem to carry any untoward _physiological_ threats to health or life. [/QUOTE] Obviously you don’t know my wife. Abstinence is not an option while that clock is ticking. :o 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299/14 "2007-03-17T16:09:40Z")
[QUOTE=PatriotX] Obviously you don’t know my wife. Abstinence is not an option while that clock is ticking. [/QUOTE] Then my medical advice to you (one of the very rare times I’ll give medical advice here) is to push fluids and lean into it. Watch for chafing, too. ---
**Author:** ![merrily](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@merrily](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/merrily)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299/15 "2007-03-17T16:44:50Z")
[QUOTE=PatriotX] Obviously you don’t know my wife. Abstinence is not an option while that clock is ticking. :o 🙂 [/QUOTE] Did anyone else flash on Tristram Shandy? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299/16 "2007-03-17T18:35:52Z")
[QUOTE=freckafree] I’m with **hajario**. [/QUOTE] . Figuratively. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299/17 "2007-03-17T19:30:18Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > I have read that prostate health statistially increases with the frequency of orgasms. [The Master has spoken](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_195b.html) about the hypothesis that too much arousal **not** followed by orgasm can be bad for the prostate. But I don’t see anything in there about any dangers to prostate health from just not getting aroused in the first place, even for very extended periods of time. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299/18 "2007-03-17T20:07:29Z")
[QUOTE=benny73] . . . if a middle age guy doesn’t get ANY sexual relief, including that activity that starts with an m . . . [/QUOTE] Wow, you like to mazurka too? Awesome! It really gets the frustration out. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299/19 "2007-03-17T20:09:16Z")
[QUOTE=Kimstu] [The Master has spoken](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_195b.html) about the hypothesis that too much arousal **not** followed by orgasm can be bad for the prostate. [/QUOTE] Please note that TPM did observe that it was a hypothesis, and know that subsequent medical research has not shown any evidence that said hypothesis is in fact correct. ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299/20 "2007-03-17T21:09:22Z")
[QUOTE=benny73] if the mods take this down i’ll understand. i looked as best i could on the internet and haven’t been able to get any answers. so because this place is so active with lots of bright people i’ll take a chance … if a middle age guy doesn’t get ANY sexual relief, including that activity that starts with an m, then does his chances of getting cancer down there go through the roof? it’s been well over two years and so i’d kinda like to seriously know if maybe i should start thinking about increasing my life insurance policy and maybe mentally try and brace myself for what i’d assume will be an agonizing death (if this is likely how i’m going to go). thanks for any info you can share. and i hope i didn’t do a no no by asking such a question. 😛 [/QUOTE] **Benny 73** , If you can’t do the activity that starts with m, just jack off. It works for me, helps me sleep, and has kept my marraige strong for almost 10 years. Sgt Schwartz [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-ask-a-sex-medical-question-if-its-legit/396299.md?page=2)