Lost penis syndrome is a weakness of the female pelvic floor muscles. During sexual intercourse, it feels as if the partner’s member is not in the vagina. For treatment, pelvic floor training is the main treatment.
What is lost penis syndrome?
Lost penis syndrome sounds like every man’s nightmare. However, the syndrome actually affects men less than women. Women with lost penis syndrome suffer from permanent dilation of the vagina. During sexual intercourse, they thus have the feeling that they cannot feel their partner’s member at all, or at least not throughout. During intercourse, the sexual partner also has the impression of actually “not having a penis.” This impression is created on both sides due to the lack of contact that the member has with the vaginal wall during sex. The term “lost penis syndrome” is rarely used in medical parlance and related literature. Much more often, the term is used on the Internet, so especially in the discussion in forums or on social networks. Medical science tends to refer to the same phenomenon as an abnormally or pathologically dilated vaginal wall, a pelvic floor disorder or pelvic floor depression. In fact, in most cases, lost penis syndrome is related to pathological changes in the female pelvic floor. The pelvic floor is the muscular connective tissue floor of the pelvic cavity and is formed primarily by the levator ani muscle. The female vagina lies within the pelvic axis where it crosses the pelvic floor.
Causes
Lost penis syndrome may be congenital or acquired. The acquired form often presents immediately after births. The new mother undergoes a high stress with the birth of a child, which is accompanied by overstretching of the vaginal muscles. Muscles and fascia are elastic. This means that they can stretch and usually return to their original position after stretching. Normally, the muscles recover after stretching during childbirth. However, in case of insufficient regression, the lost penis syndrome may occur. The quality of the muscles and connective tissue is to a certain extent hereditary. Thus, insufficient regression of the musculature is associated with genetic disposition. Muscle diseases or connective tissue diseases can also promote insufficient involution. Lost penis syndrome can also be present independently of births. In most cases, the syndrome is associated with a hereditary or otherwise favored slackening of the pelvic floor. This slackening may be caused by hormonal effects after menopause or may occur, for example, as part of neurologic disorders.
Symptoms, complaints, and signs
The symptoms of women with lost penis syndrome are relatively specific. Affected individuals suffer from sexual dysfunction in the broadest sense. They do not experience sexual intercourse as pleasurable because they do not feel their partner’s penis at all or barely feel it in their vagina. They do not reach vaginal orgasm under these circumstances. For their partner, too, orgasm during sexual intercourse is almost impossible, since he also does not experience sufficient stimulation during the sexual act. Frequently, vaginal dysfunction puts an immense strain on the relationship and can thus lead to psychological sequelae, such as self-esteem deficits on both sides of the partnership. In individual cases, lost penis syndrome can be accompanied by many other symptoms, depending on the primary cause. Pelvic floor dilation may also affect urination for the woman. Muscular and neuromuscular dysfunction usually does not affect the pelvic floor exclusively, but additionally manifests in muscle weakness elsewhere in the body. Lost penis syndrome also carries significant shame for many women. Feelings of shame can again pave the way for other psychological complaints and thus negatively affect the sexual life of those affected in the long term.
Diagnosis and course of the disease
The diagnosis of lost penis syndrome generally corresponds to the diagnosis of dilated pelvic floor muscles. Gynecologic diagnosis usually recognizes this finding as an incidental finding. As a rule, women with lost penis syndrome do not explicitly turn to the doctor because of sexual dysfunctions. Shame usually keeps them from doing so.To rule out a neurogenic cause, diagnosis is usually followed by neurologic diagnosis with nerve conduction testing and imaging of the nervous system.
Complications
Lost penis syndrome usually results primarily in psychological symptoms and limitations for the patient. In this case, the affected person cannot feel the partner’s penis and thus does not have an orgasm during sexual intercourse. Thus, the lost penis syndrome can have a very negative effect on the relationship with the partner and also lead to psychological complaints or depression. It is not uncommon for the patient to experience inferiority complexes or a lowered self-esteem. However, it is not uncommon for lost penis syndrome to be associated with other weakened muscles on the body, so that other areas of the body are also affected by the insensations. The quality of life of the affected person is considerably restricted and reduced by the lost penis syndrome. In the long term, this can lead to a very restricted sexual life. Not infrequently, those affected are ashamed of this complaint and therefore do not initiate treatment. In most cases, however, the symptoms disappear on their own after a few days and no particular complications occur. In some cases, various exercises are necessary to relieve the discomfort. The life expectancy of the patient is not affected by the lost penis syndrome. In some cases, psychological treatments are also necessary.
When should one go to the doctor?
Complaints or irregularities in performing sexual activities should be discussed with a doctor. If the woman feels that she does not have a penis inside her despite being united with a man, a visit to the doctor is advisable. In a conversation, the observations should be carried out and discussed with a doctor. If sex can no longer be experienced as pleasurable, sexual dysfunction is present. If there is a rejection of intimacy with the partner or partnership problems develop, a doctor should be consulted. In case of dissatisfaction with sexual life, consultation with a doctor is recommended. If the orgasm is disturbed or behavioral problems occur, the affected person needs medical and therapeutic help. In case of aggressive behavior or changes in personality, a doctor should be informed of the changes. In some cases, the woman can bring about relief from the symptoms on her own through targeted muscle training of the pelvis. A visit to the doctor is not necessary in these cases. However, if despite all efforts there is no sufficient improvement in the sensations in the intimate area after a few weeks or months, a doctor should be consulted. In a therapy or a special treatment plan, an optimization of the exercise sessions can be discussed.
Treatment and therapy
Lost penis syndrome can be a chronic disorder, but it can also be temporary. Temporary conditions often correspond to a conventional slackening of the muscles and, accordingly, often occur due to overstimulation. This phenomenon does not require treatment and resolves itself within days or a few weeks. In principle, treatment is required only in the case of pathological dysfunction. The type of treatment depends largely on the primary cause. In most cases, pelvic floor training is the focus of treatment. Like any type of skeletal muscle, the pelvic floor has a certain tonus even in the resting position. This means that a basic tension is present even without voluntary contraction of the muscles. In lost penis syndrome, the basic tension of the pelvic muscles is usually reduced. Thus, the muscles ideally receive a general increase in tone through regular pelvic floor training. In addition to this type of exercise therapy, medication can be used, for example, to increase tone. If the patient’s level of suffering is too high and conservative treatment methods do not bring about any improvement, plastic surgery can be used to tighten the pelvic floor muscles and the surrounding ligaments. In the case of neurogenic causes, causal therapy of the neurological disorder is also performed. If the patient already shows psychological problems, additional psychotherapeutic supportive accompaniment takes place.
Outlook and prognosis
Lost penis syndrome is unproblematic in most cases. It is present only temporarily.The reason for the muscle slackening is usually overstimulation. Affected women do not need to see a doctor. Within a week, the complaints no longer exist. A fulfilling sex life becomes possible as before. The situation is different for women who do not feel any friction during sexual intercourse even after a week. In this case, the prospect of improvement is mixed. An increased risk exists, for example, after pregnancy and strong physical weight gain. Both affect the firmness of the vagina. In this case, only pelvic muscle training will help, which will eliminate the problem to a certain extent. In the case of surgical interventions such as a vaginal lift, the long-term consequences are not yet foreseeable. Therefore, prognosis statements cannot be formulated. In the case of long-term problems, not visiting the doctor can put a strain on the relationship and reduce self-esteem. Since sexuality is very much related to mental stimulation, talk therapy promises at least limited success. The partners learn to deal with each other differently and not to let frustration arise.
Prevention
Pelvic floor training can prevent lost penis syndrome, at least to some degree.
Aftercare
Since lost penis syndrome does not self-heal, regular visits to the doctor for clarification of the development of treatment are advisable. As a rule, lost penis syndrome has a negative effect on the sexual intercourse of the affected person. Since the sex life remains unfulfilled, it is not uncommon for psychological complaints or depression to occur. Sometimes psychological help can reduce the suffering and make it easier to deal with the disease. It is important to better deal with the inferiority complexes that often arise and, despite the situation, to become aware of how the suffering is expressed and how it can be countered. In this case, emotional stability is a prerequisite for the further course of the disease.
This is what you can do yourself
In most cases, the lost penis syndrome does not need to be treated, as the complaints and symptoms disappear again on their own after a few days or weeks. For this reason, the affected person has limited options for self-help with this syndrome. The syndrome itself can be prevented by avoiding overstimulation of the muscles. In most cases, training the pelvic floor muscles has a very positive effect on the course of the disease and can strengthen the muscles and thus also alleviate the symptoms. Surgical intervention is only necessary in very rare cases. In some cases, however, the lost penis syndrome can also lead to psychological upsets or depression. Talking to your partner or friends can prevent and reduce such discomfort or inferiority complexes. Contact with other affected persons can also have a positive effect on the course of the disease and possibly contribute to the exchange of information. Since the symptoms of the syndrome disappear within a short time, treatment by a psychologist is not necessarily required. Discussions with the partner can thereby also alleviate possible sexual complaints.
