A dry orgasm can have different causes.
It could happen after surgery. For example, you stop making semen after surgery to remove the prostate gland and the lymph nodes around it. Your body also stops making semen after surgery to remove the bladder. Dry orgasm can happen after some surgeries for testicular cancer too. Those include retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, which can affect the nerves that control orgasm.
Sometimes with dry orgasm, your body makes semen, but it goes into your bladder instead of out through your penis. This is called retrograde ejaculation. Most often it happens after medical treatments, especially some prostate surgeries. Certain medicines and health conditions also can cause it.
In other cases, the body doesn't make enough semen to ejaculate. This might happen when gene changes affect the organs and glands involved in having children.
Repeated orgasms use up all of the body's fresh semen and sperm. So if you have several orgasms over a short time, your next one might be dry. There's no need to worry though. This tends to improve after a few hours of rest.
Conditions that can cause dry orgasm
Dry orgasm may happen with certain health conditions:
- Blocked sperm duct (ejaculatory duct obstruction)
- Diabetes
- Genetic problems with the reproductive system
- Male hypogonadism (testosterone deficiency)
- Multiple sclerosis
- Retrograde ejaculation
- Spinal cord injury
Dry orgasm also can be a side effect of some medicines used to treat certain conditions. These include some medicines for high blood pressure, enlarged prostate and mood disorders.
Procedures that can cause dry orgasm
You may have dry orgasm after certain medical treatments or operations:
- Bladder removal surgery (cystectomy)
- Prostate laser surgery
- Prostatectomy (radical)
- Radiation therapy
- Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection
- TUIP (transurethral incision of the prostate)
- TUMT (transurethral microwave therapy)
- TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate)
Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.
- Wein AJ, et al., eds. Disorders of male orgasm and ejaculation. In: Campbell-Walsh-Wein Urology. 12th ed. Elsevier; 2021. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Oct. 11, 2022.
- Cancer can affect a man's ability to ejaculate. American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/fertility-and-sexual-side-effects/sexuality-for-men-with-cancer/ejaculation-and-treatment.html. Accessed May 29, 2017.
- What can cause premature, delayed or dry orgasms? National Health Service. http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/causes-of-ejaculation-problems.aspx. Accessed May 29, 2017.
- Abdel-Hamid I, et al. Delayed ejaculation: Pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment. The World Journal of Men's Health. 2018; doi:10.5534/wjmh.17051.
- Rosen R, et al. Epidemiology and etiologies of male sexual dysfunction. http://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Oct. 11, 2022.
- Frey A, et al. Prevalence and predicting factors for commonly neglected sexual side effects to external-beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer. The Journal of Sexual Medicine. 2017; doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2017.01.015.
- Franco J, et al. Transurethral microwave thermotherapy for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2022; doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004135.pub4/full.
- Gild P, et al. Retrograde ejaculation after holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) — Impact on sexual function and evaluation of patient bother using validated questionnaires. Andrology. 2020; doi:10.1111/andr.12887.
- Medical review (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Oct. 9, 2022.