Awesome fellow blogger Scicurious delved into the Journal of Medical Hypotheses today and showed us the recently published hypothesis of one doctor who believes that the answer to nasal congestion could be... masturbation. Go and read her brilliant blog post on this moment of medical genius, but then come back here, because the journal has now published a letter by Mohammad Fakhree angrily rejecting the claims, in the prelude to what could be the biggest medical controversy since MMR.

Zarrinton's original paper presents the premise that, as SciCurious describes, "ejaculation will stimulation adrenergic receptors in the refractory period immediately afterward, and stimulation of your adrenergic receptors will give you relief from your cold." But Fakhree is far from convinced, citing a whole range of objections.

"First notable thing is that the process which leads to ejaculation makes significant changes in blood pressure and heart rate which can be as harmful as decongestants side effects."

Basically, you need to be fit. You don't want to end up like the stereotypical older guy who's shagged to death by his nubile younger lover. Especially if you don't even get the shagging part beforehand. That would suck. It's not even dignified... imagine how you'd be found?

Another consideration is that, in some males there are limitations in the number of ejaculation per day and also between two ejaculations.

I suspect, actually, that applies to all males. It's a penis, not a machine gun.

Furthermore there are some limitations in using of ejaculation or masturbation as treatment of nasal congestion such as not being applicable out of home and not having any sex partner.

Frankly, it's news to me that I needed to have a sex partner for masturbation, that kind of being the whole point of Britain's #1 hobby in the first place. If I was with a "sex partner", then I would be having sex. Or on the basis of statistical probability, probably asleep.

Of course, masturbation in the work place is a touchy issue, and many bosses are just not progressive enough to sanction that kind of activity. That's a shame, because no doubt somebody can prove it benefits productivity with one of those lame surveys. If that's the case, will masturbation rooms take their rightful place alongside bathrooms and smoking rooms in the workplace of the 21st century? Will the mindless persecution of men who masturbate in public be consigned to history? Only time will tell...

At any rate, we have a real-life medical drama on our hands, so let's sit back, make some popcorn and wait for Zarrinton's next response. My own personal view? Well to be honest I think they're both wrong, on the basis that a) I have colds, and b) I haven't died from a heart attack yet. Those of you looking for a more rigorous survey should head over to Neurotopia, and contribute to the ad hoc study that SciCurious is conducting in her comments thread.

[1] M FAKHREE (2008). Ejaculation as a treatment for nasal congestion in men is inconvenient, unreliable and potentially hazardous Medical Hypotheses DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2008.07.022