Achieving orgasm after sex would be as effective as a nasal spray in improving nasal breathing.
- The German researchers who conducted the study were awarded the Ig-Nobel prize for original scientific research.
- After an hour, the orgasm is as effective as the nasal spray in decongesting the nostrils, but in the long term, the spray remains the best solution.
- Further tests need to be conducted to find out if orgasm achieved after masturbation can also provide relief from a stuffy nose.
Sex is a health ally with sometimes surprising virtues. A new benefit was suggested by a study published last January in the Ear, Nose & Throat Journal. The German researchers who carried out the study, which was recently awarded the Ig-Nobel prize for original scientific research, believe that orgasm achieved after sex improves nasal breathing to the point of being as effective as a spray to decongest the nostrils when they are blocked.
In the long term, the spray remains the most effective
The study began after Olcay Cem Bulut, an ear, nose and throat specialist professor at SLK Clinics in Germany, developed a hunch based on self-observation. To go further, he, with his team of researchers, recruited 18 heterosexual couples with no nasal problems. The latter had to test the state of their breathing and their nasal congestion before and after intercourse using a device that measures nasal flow, in addition to providing a self-assessment. The couples then performed the same tests after using a decongestant nasal spray the following day.
After comparing the effect of orgasm and the nasal spray immediately after, then 30 minutes later, one hour later and three hours later, the researchers found that nasal breathing improved similarly in the two cases. However, this improvement was comparable up to one hour after intercourse. In the longer term, the nasal spray provides better relief.
More research needed
The explanation of why orgasm has a nasal decongestion effect remains unclear. Researchers speculate that it could be the result of a combination of sexual arousal, physical activity and orgasm. In an interview given to Guardian, Dr. Olcay Cem Bulut pointed out that some data collected after orgasm could be compromised. “I think some people couldn’t focus on the device”, he indicated.
More research is needed before doctors can prescribe sex for cold symptoms. Also, further tests need to be conducted in order to find out if orgasm achieved after masturbation can also provide relief from a stuffy nose.
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