Chocolate, alcohol, the great outdoors – all wonderful things loved by millions, but some have a nasty allergy which denies them the enjoyment of such treats. And it seems, some people have the same reaction to making love. No, being allergic to sex doesn’t mean you’re allergic to the act of sex. Like relationships, it is more nuanced. Here are the best ways to tell if you’re allergic to sex.
Like any allergy, a sex allergy develops when your immune system has a negative reaction to some sort of substance, whether the substance is coming from your partner or you. These allergies are hard to pinpoint, because many of the symptoms include heavy breathing, sweating, and other assumed to be natural side effects of sex.
Noted expert, Dr. Lindsey Doe, provides guidance on how to recognize and deal with the situation. Here are some of the ways she says you can tell if you’ve developed a sex allergy. If you feel you have an allergy, you should seek medical help quickly.
1. You Feel Sick After An Orgasm
There’s something called Post Orgasmic Illness Syndrome (POIS) which occurs when a man is allergic to his own semen. And the symptoms are similar to the flu. Immediately after ejaculating, a man will get a runny nose, itchy eyes and a sore throat, among other not fun things. POIS is rare, and there are no known treatments.
2. You Experience Burning After Using A Condom
Having a reaction to latex is not uncommon. About three million Americans are allergic to the synthetic product, which obtained from rubber trees and used in a variety of sex products, not just condoms. Unlike food, the companies making condoms don’t have to disclose the ingredients. A good rule of thumb, says Doe, skip lubes (and lubricated condoms) advertising flavors, cooling or heating sensations are not the best for your body. So if you’re a woman who all of the sudden finds herself with an irritated vagina, you might be allergic and should go see your OBGYN.
3. There’s Pain In Your Life And/Or Relationship
Not just with sex, but experiencing pain in your life, including domestic violence, trauma, sexual shame and relationship issues can trigger a physiological response known as ‘genital armoring’ — a physical response to something mental.
‘The immune system is doing its best to signal something is wrong,” says Doe.
4. You Start Experiencing Allergy Symptoms After Sleeping With Someone New
A telltale sign something’s up with your body is having an adverse reaction right after you sleep with a new partner. There is a chance you could be allergic to their semen. Unlike POIS, this condition is known as Seminal Plasma Hypersensitivity (SPH).
Says Doe, ‘Basically a protein in the fluid triggers an allergic reaction, usually pain and burning.’ There could also be shortness of breath, dizziness and diarrhea. The good news here is this is super rare. At the very most, only about 40 thousand women in the U.S. experience this, so fingers crossed.
Is an allergic reaction from CBD possible? CBD hemp allergies are rare, but not impossible. While it may seem counterintuitive, it is entirely possible to be allergic to hemp.Being allergic to a plant with natural anti-inflammatory and anti-itch properties is kind of a paradox, and likely one of the most unfortunate allergies to have.
This article zooms in on the topic of hemp allergies to help you understand if you might be allergic to CBD. You’ll learn what to do if you think you’re allergic to hemp and how to determine if you have a CBD allergy.
Is It Possible To Be Allergic To CBD?
According to a study from the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology –“73% of the 50 million people who are allergic to pollen also react to cannabis [hemp]”.
In some cases, exposure to hemp flower pollen triggered symptoms of allergic rhinitis, which causes congestions, sneezing, and runny nose. Others, however, present more serious allergic reactions to hemp pollen, and just touching the plant causes hives, itching, and inflammation of the eyes.
Researchers think that the majority of people allergic to CBD hemp or cannabis are allergic to a specific type of protein in the plant called Lipid Transfer Protein (LTP).About 80% of those with hemp allergies are found to be allergic to LTP.
CBD Hemp allergies present themselves similarly to other types of allergic reactions. If you have certain food allergies from the list below, you may be potentially allergic to hemp:
Tomatoes
Nuts
Peaches
Cabbage and lettuce
Berry
Apples
Grapes
To officially determine if you have hemp or CBD allergy, you would need to make an allergy test, just as you would with any other allergen. This is where a diluted amount of an allergen is pricked into the skin.
The reaction to the allergen in terms of swelling, inflammation, and itching reveals the level to which one is allergic to the particular substance.
Symptoms of CBD Hemp Allergy
The most common experience of hemp allergies comes from the smoke and pollen being inhaled directly or indirectly. The resulting allergic reaction may induce sneezing, wheezing, shortness of breath, or even asthma.
Skin allergic reactions can also occur when hemp leaves and flowers come into direct contact with the skin. This can cause inflammation, redness, swelling, and itchiness on the skin and eyes. Consuming hemp seeds and other cannabis products such as CBD oil may also trigger allergies as well as shortness of breath and potentially asthma.
Some have varying levels of intolerance to ingesting CBD hemp oil and may experience symptoms such as slight headaches or diarrhea. However, these symptoms are not necessarily considered allergic reactions, but rather intolerances to the substance, such as with dairy or gluten.
Individuals may exhibit allergic symptoms only affecting the respiration or only affecting the skin, or they may experience the reaction everywhere. If you ever notice allergy symptoms after taking CBD hemp oil or hemp flower, you should stop taking it immediately and consult medical attention.
Managing Hemp Allergies
Overall, the vast majority of people won’t need to worry about being allergic to hemp or cannabis. However, as more people try CBD and more workers are employed at farms and processing facilities, more people will discover they are allergic to this plant to some extent.