Doctors warn of dangers of new 'Peegasm' trend, claim it can cause permanent damage to the body
If the internet is to be believed, a 'peegasm' is one of the most satisfying feelings you can have. Technically, peegasm refers to the feeling of relief after holding one's pee for as long as possible and then finally releasing it all in one go.
The internet fad is so prevalent that there is a whole Reddit thread is dedicated to it. A Redditor posted a unique description of the phenomenon: “So my girlfriend recently told me if she’s had to hold her pee in for a while, when she actually goes to pee, she often has orgasms that she feels all the way up her spine to her head. If she does 'reverse kegels' while peeing, they’re even more likely to happen. She said these orgasms sometimes leave her lightheaded and off balance, and are pretty different from her clit or vaginal orgasms."
The thread is carried by several other users, many of whom attest to having that special experience. “I call them the piss shivers (cringe) because they’re not quite orgasmic in my opinion but close enough,” one user wrote.
But Dr Charlotte Elder has a rather hard pill for these peegasm connoisseurs. According to her, finally making it to the urinal after holding the pee in for a long time might be other-worldly but it could actually damage your bladder. Dr Elder is a gynecologist and spokesperson for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, according to Kidspot.
“Bladders need to be treated with respect. It’s important to go when you need to go, not when you’re busting,” she says.
Elder says that the delay in going to the toilet can cause the bladder to stretch. The practice could result in significant damage to the organ and could take years to recover.
She also says it is equally important to avoid "just in case" pees. “If you pee when you don’t need to go, you can reduce your bladder’s capacity to hold urine,” she says.
While holding on intentionally might be a bad thing, there are some more than obvious links between the need to relieve oneself and sexual pleasure. A number of women reported experiencing sleep orgasms when they had full bladders, for example.
Elder says it's quite possible. “A full bladder, while you’re asleep, will stimulate your pelvic floor nerves a bit which makes you more likely to have a sexy dream which can trigger an orgasm while you’re asleep,” she says.
That being said, the doctor says there is a monumental difference between intentionally holding on for long and waking up with a full bladder. All in all, a "peegasm" may not be worth risking the health of your bladder, Elder says. “There are more practical and more pleasurable ways to have an orgasm,” she says. “My advice is to try something a bit more old-fashioned.”