# How often do you masturbate? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 28, 2006, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-masturbate/362533 "2006-06-28T19:11:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![kimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@kimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kimera)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2006, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-masturbate/362533/221 "2006-07-10T19:59:26Z")
I did a bit more googling and found that I had remembered Dunn’s study incorrectly. I had only remembered the part about men having mulitple dry orgasms before a final wet one and assumed that these were the only types of men she studied, since it has been a very long time since I read the original study. However, I managed to find an [abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2818169&dopt=Abstract) online at pubmed. > [@](#): > > Men reported that detumescence does not always follow an orgasm, that a nonejaculatory orgasm can occur prior to as well as after an ejaculatory orgasm, and that it is possible to have a series of orgasms. A more detailed review of the study as well as information on other studies can be found [http://loveandhealth.worldgroups.com/Article.cfm?Topic=2&SubTopic=18&Article=235](http://loveandhealth.worldgroups.com/Article.cfm?Topic=2&SubTopic=18&Article=235). > [@](#): > > In order to be part of these two studies, a man had to experience two or more orgasms with or without ejaculation, and with only limited softening, or detumescence, of the penis during one and the same sexual encounter…2 of the men ejaculated on their first orgasm usually, and then had a series of dry orgasms. 16, however, had varied patterns, with the possibility of a full, a partial, or no ejaculation happening at any time within any particular sequence. 3 subjects were similar to all those reported in the other, earlier study that I reported to you, in which the first series of orgasms were all without an ejaculation, followed by a final, more intense ejaculatory orgasm I will still look around and see if I can find an online copy of Dunn’s study or any other studies on either of these subjects. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2006, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-masturbate/362533/222 "2006-07-10T20:20:27Z")
1. A retrograde ejaculation is not a “dry” orgasm. There is still an ejaculation, it just goes into the bladder. The only reason there wouldn’t be a seminal discharge is if no seminal fluid is being manufactured (as in prepubescent boys). Male orgasm is largely dependent on – is _caused_ by – the muscle spasms during ejaculation. 2. There is no such thing as male multiple orgasm in a manner analogous to the female multiple orgasm. Some guys have very short refractory periods and can have multiple, _successive_ orgasms but they’re still discrete orgasmic events (as opposed to the female multiples which occur as part of the same event). Maybe this is a semantic difference but it was explained to me by a doctor (a human sexuality prof) that there is a recognized medical distinction there. ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2006, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-masturbate/362533/223 "2006-07-10T20:27:06Z")
Re: dry orgasms - as a female I obviously can’t offer any first-hand knowledge of this. However, I have quite reliable second-hand information that it certainly can and does happen in healthy adult males (unless the male in question is incredibly good at faking it, which I doubt - why would he? What would he have to gain?), and it can allow men to have multiple orgasms. After such an orgasm he barely has to stop for breath, so I don’t think it is a retrograde orgasm - if there was an ejaculation, he would need time to reboot as he does with the ordinary kind of orgasm. This has been my experience with two different men. Yes, I am a lucky lady. **DtC** , please provide a cite to support your position. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2006, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-masturbate/362533/224 "2006-07-10T20:32:45Z")
Everything I’m saying can be found in the links that **Kimera** has already posted. Every cite for a “dry” male orgasm amounts to either retrograde ejaculations, delayed ejaculations or prepubescent ejaculations. BTW, retrograde ejaculations always cut down on refractory time. The lack of a refractory period doesn’t mean there hasn’t been an ejaculation. ---
**Author:** ![kimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@kimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kimera)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2006, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-masturbate/362533/225 "2006-07-10T23:36:41Z")
Can you not read? From the cite I posted: > [@](#): > > Multiple orgasm in women was defined by Masters and Johnson as “one or more additional orgasms within a short time without dropping below the plateau level of sexual arousal.” They went on to say that men were not able to have multiple orgasms if it is defined in the same way; that is, the same way as they defined multiple orgasms for women, because after ejaculation, men enter a refractory period when they lose their erection and are too sensitive to be re-stimulated…Now, most men experience a time when they lose their erection and they feel too sensitive to receive any more sexual stimulation. However, there are two papers in the scientific literature and one book that describe and report on men who are capable of experiencing the same thing that some women do – that is, experiencing multiple orgasms just like women do. There was no refractory period reported in these men and I did not observe any with my boyfriend. Again, I am not talking about retrograde ejaculations! I am talking about multiple orgasms where there are dry orgasms before, after or mixed among wet orgasms. It may also be possible for this to occur outside of multiple orgasms, but I am unable to find any good cites for that at this moment. Again > [@](#): > > Men reported that detumescence does not always follow an orgasm, that a nonejaculatory orgasm can occur prior to as well as after an ejaculatory orgasm, and that it is possible to have a series of orgasms. No where in the study or in the summary is retrograde ejaculation mentioned at all. ---
**Author:** ![sunacres](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@sunacres](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunacres)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2006, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-masturbate/362533/226 "2006-07-11T00:35:20Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] 2. There is no such thing as male multiple orgasm in a manner analogous to the female multiple orgasm. Some guys have very short refractory periods and can have multiple, _successive_ orgasms but they’re still discrete orgasmic events (as opposed to the female multiples which occur as part of the same event). Maybe this is a semantic difference but it was explained to me by a doctor (a human sexuality prof) that there is a recognized medical distinction there. [/QUOTE] What a silly distinction. And DtC, your assertion that it’s a physiological impossibility to have and orgasm without ejaculation is absurd. If I have several orgasms in a row, multiple or successive as you will, by the third or fourth there is no more ejaculate. My orgasm is not caused by the fluid, the fluid is driven by the orgasm. The spasms occur just as powerfully if there is no more fluid to propel. Why are you so insistent on this? What’s your concern? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2006, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-masturbate/362533/227 "2006-07-11T00:46:57Z")
I didn’t say the fluid caused anything. The spasms which PROPEL the fluid causes the orgasm. If you have successive orgasms you will eventually run out of fluid but the mechanics are the same and you still did ejaculate the first few times didn’t you? I’m not saying there always has to be a precise one-to-one correlation but you can’t have ONLY orgasms with NO ejaculatory mechanics. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2006, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-masturbate/362533/228 "2006-07-11T01:27:48Z")
**WhyNot,** I’m sorry. I had no idea that my curiosity was going to lead to such contention. ---
**Author:** ![Rachael\_Rage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@Rachael\_Rage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachael_Rage)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2006, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-masturbate/362533/229 "2006-07-11T04:02:13Z")
We gals are getting bored with this thread. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2006, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-masturbate/362533/230 "2006-07-11T04:34:24Z")
[QUOTE=vaderspal] We gals are getting bored with this thread. 😛 [/QUOTE] Well, if you’d like to take this hijack in a whole new direction, we could talk about [retrograde ejaculation in women,](http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Female_ejaculation) which at least one scientist thinks happens 75% of the time, and is responsible for the myth that women don’t ejaculate: > [@](#): > > In 2002, Emmanuele Jannini of L’Aquila University in Italy showed one explanation for this phenomenon as well as for the frequent denials of its existence. Skene’s gland openings are usually the size of pinholes, and vary in size from one woman to another, to the point where they appear to be missing entirely in some women. If Skene’s glands are the cause of female ejaculation, this may explain the observed absence of this phenomenon in many women. Retrograde ejaculation, where the fluid travels up the urethra towards the bladder (observed in 75% of test subjects) could also account for the observed absence. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2006, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-masturbate/362533/231 "2006-07-11T18:22:49Z")
All I can say at this point is that I don’t care if you come or not. Mindgasms and orgasmic dreams–make a part of my life fun. But I am still :eek: at those who do this more than even once a day…do you ever think of anything else? Have a list of things to get done, etc? Enjoy and all that, but…guess I’m glad I have my dreams and er, thoughts. So much more efficent and discreet. I remember learning in nursing college that males could indeed dry orgasm (we covered all manner of things in nsg school–made some of the lectures breathtaking!). We learned about that and its converse (obverse?)–women having the physical signs of orgasm, but not being aware of it. Sorry, no cite–this was 20+ years ago. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-masturbate/362533.md?page=11)