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Is It Advisable To Have Sex When Suffering From Pneumothorax?
Question: My partner has a pneumothorax. It was 19mm last Monday night and then 15mm Tuesday afternoon. He wants to have sex. Is this advisable? He is 55 and a smoker. He gave up smoking 2 months ago.
Brief Answer:
Please avoid sex for 3 weeks to a month to allow recovery
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.
I have read through your query in detail.
Please find my observations below.
1. Pneumothorax is the collection of free air between the lung and chest wall. The commonest cause is spontaneous pneumothorax which happens due to rupture of a lung bulla.
2. Sex can be considered to be a high intensity physical exercise involving series of actions requiring movements of back, neck, chest , pelvis and limbs. Participating in sex at this time might cause a small risk to the health of your partner.
3. The time duration to avoid sex after spontaneous pneumothorax differs according to the amount of pneumothorax and with doctors. However a time duration of about 3 weeks to a month is advisable to allow recovery before having sex.
4. Please note that the first few sex sessions should be gentle and slow and stopped if he has any pain of discomfort and breathlessness. Having rough sex after recovery for the first few months is discouraged as it can increase tendency of recurrent pneumothorax.
Hope this answers your question. Please feel free to correct any oversight in my interpretation of your problems and discuss them in detail as per your requirements.
Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Dr.Vivek
Please avoid sex for 3 weeks to a month to allow recovery
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.
I have read through your query in detail.
Please find my observations below.
1. Pneumothorax is the collection of free air between the lung and chest wall. The commonest cause is spontaneous pneumothorax which happens due to rupture of a lung bulla.
2. Sex can be considered to be a high intensity physical exercise involving series of actions requiring movements of back, neck, chest , pelvis and limbs. Participating in sex at this time might cause a small risk to the health of your partner.
3. The time duration to avoid sex after spontaneous pneumothorax differs according to the amount of pneumothorax and with doctors. However a time duration of about 3 weeks to a month is advisable to allow recovery before having sex.
4. Please note that the first few sex sessions should be gentle and slow and stopped if he has any pain of discomfort and breathlessness. Having rough sex after recovery for the first few months is discouraged as it can increase tendency of recurrent pneumothorax.
Hope this answers your question. Please feel free to correct any oversight in my interpretation of your problems and discuss them in detail as per your requirements.
Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Dr.Vivek
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
My partner XXXXXXX had been flying his glider the day before the chest pain started. He had been doing aerobatics. Do you think this could have caused the pneumothorax?
Brief Answer:
Flying causes an increased tendency to develop spontaneous pneumothorax
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing back with an update.
1. High altitude as in flying a glider without proper clothing to balance inner and outer pressure might cause an increased tendency to develop spontaneous penumothorax.
2. The US Federal Aviation Administration has disqualified any person having spontaneous pneumothorax until they have been treated for it completely and confirmed radiologically that there is no underlying lung disease.
3. XXXXXXX needs to discuss his health with his flying instructor before taking a glider. He can fly after complete recovery and if there is no risk lung disease.
4. Recurrent pneumothorax occurs in many people within a year from the first episode. He must be cautious about it.
Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Dr.Vivek
Flying causes an increased tendency to develop spontaneous pneumothorax
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing back with an update.
1. High altitude as in flying a glider without proper clothing to balance inner and outer pressure might cause an increased tendency to develop spontaneous penumothorax.
2. The US Federal Aviation Administration has disqualified any person having spontaneous pneumothorax until they have been treated for it completely and confirmed radiologically that there is no underlying lung disease.
3. XXXXXXX needs to discuss his health with his flying instructor before taking a glider. He can fly after complete recovery and if there is no risk lung disease.
4. Recurrent pneumothorax occurs in many people within a year from the first episode. He must be cautious about it.
Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Dr.Vivek
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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