This book describes Restless Genital Syndrome, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases

I came across this condition when I was doing research on my book on Restless Leg Syndrome (Willis-Ekbom Disease) and found it extremely interesting.

I have never heard of such a condition existing in women.

I have written about Priapism before in men

Such a painful condition happening in women is really unexpected.

I can imagine their discomfort and pain when the disease strikes.

Restless genital syndrome is a well-recognized disorder in which a person feels continuous genital arousal without any sexual stimulus or fascination.

It was at first called the Persistent Sexual Arousal Syndrome (PSAS), then Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder (PGAD) and then Restless Genital Syndrome because there is no sexual arousal or desire involved.

Particularly, it is not linked to hyper-sexuality, sometimes known as nymphomania or satyriasis.

Hyper-sexuality, nymphomania, and satyriasis are also not identified as diagnosable medical disorders by the DSM-IV.

Besides being very rare, RGS is also often not reported by patients who may consider it shameful or embarrassing.

This is a somatosensory disorder featured by an unpleasant sensation affecting the genital area and pelvis.

It has been portrayed as a spontaneous, intrusive, and unwanted genital arousal (e.g., tingling, throbbing, pulsating) that happens in the absence of sexual desire or interest.

Restless genital syndrome has been confirmed in only a few men and less than 1% of women.

There might be other sufferers too which have not reported their problem.

This is mainly because in this situation most men think that their libido is higher than the normal population and therefore they get these unwanted hardened penises.

Doctors have come up with the most possible logic that there is some abnormality in the nerves that carries the sensations towards the penis in men and the clitoris in women.

The nerve signals in penis and clitoris reach to the brain and give the message that there is something sexually appealing while in reality there is nothing like that.

Physical arousal produced by this syndrome can be very intense and last for extended periods, days or weeks at a time.

An orgasm can occasionally provide temporary relief, but within hours the symptoms recur.

The recurrence of symptoms, with the exception of known triggers, is sudden and not predictable.

Failure or refusal to relieve the symptoms often causes waves of spontaneous orgasms in women and ejaculation in men.

The symptoms can be disabling, preventing concentration on ordinary tasks.

Some situations, such as riding in an automobile or train, vibrations from mobile phones, and even going to the toilet can aggravate the syndrome unbearably causing the discomfort to border on pain.

It is not infrequent for patients to lose some or all sense of pleasure over the course of time as release becomes linked with relief from pain rather than the sensation of pleasure.
Some patients have said that they avoid sexual intercourse, which they may find to be a painful experience.
The disorder may persist for many years and can be so serious that it has been known to lead to depression and even suicide.

To diagnose RGS, 5 different features should be present:
1. The genital arousal should last for an extended time (hours to months)
2. No other cause for genital arousal should be present
3. The genital arousal should be unrelated to feelings of sexual desire
4. The arousal sensation should feel intrusive and unwanted, and be...