Dear Readers,
V. is a young man in his mid twenties who has a problem which he finds most difficult to solve. V. is a Christian young man who is not married and has not yet been sexually active. He masturbates a lot. He says he 'keeps on masturbating' although he is not sure whether it is alright to do so. V. asks LIFELINE if masturbation can hurt his body and also, if it can cause early ejaculation during sex. V. indicates that he would like to stop masturbating. V. has also noted a small, 'ball like' swelling inside his scrotum near the testicle. He asks LIFELINE if this swelling is dangerous.
Masturbation is the physical act of self gratification which has no adverse effect on the human body. Proponents of masturbation would say that it is the least of the sexual evils when one considers the level of promiscuity which exists in our society and the added risks of serious sexually transmitted infections such as the HIV virus, chlamydia and gonorrhoea.
"ADDICTION"
Almost anything a person does excessively will result in negative side effects. Poor socialisation skills, behavioural problems and loss of man hours at work are only a few possible outcomes of time spent masturbating excessively. If this is combined with a lot of fantasy or with a 'Peeping Tom' situation during masturbation, the act can lose its innocence and can impact other persons' lives negatively! Certainly, the act, itself, is not dangerous to the body!
Masturbation can, however, lead to problems associated with early (premature) ejaculation in young men. The young man who learns to masturbate rapidly to ejaculation can develop what is called a 'rapid response' pattern and experience premature ejaculation when having intercourse with a partner.
If V. has problems with the concept of masturbation or with what he feels is bordering on an 'addiction' to masturbation, he should consult with a psychologist or sex therapist who can be located through the psychiatry departments of most of our hospitals.
V. should not, however, hesitate to visit his family physician for assessment of his scrotal mass (the ball felt inside the scrotum, near the testicle). Scrotal swellings can occur due to a variety of reasons ranging from a post inflammatory response to chronic infections such as chlamydia, to tumours, benign and malignant. Active young men who play sports and occasionally get a 'ball' or a 'kick' to the groin might experience mild bleeding from the testicle tissues which clots, forming a post-traumatic haematocode. Various cysts, deposits of fat in the scrotum and hernias can also present as firm swellings within the scrotum. The presence of an unknown testicular or scrotal mass requires prompt medical evaluation.
A.J.M.
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