I heard of a condition occuring in men and women, where a painful erection or aroused state may last for several hours at a time. Is it true that doctors are advising their patients to masturbate as a means of relieving the painful state of arousal or erection? I heard that the condition may continue even after climax, but in some cases, it actually goes away after masturbating. Would it be a mortal sin to masturbate when the intention is not sexual gratification but to relieve symptoms of a painful condition? I know this might be rare, but I have heard of this before.

-- Wendy Meyers (meyersw03@connectx.com), October 17, 2004

Answers

This is called priapism and can occur due to nerve damage or as a side-effect of certain drugs. If it persists for several hours it is a medical emergency and should be treated in hospital. Masturbation would not help, it would probably make it worse. And even if it did help, that would not make it morally permissible.

-- Steve (55555@aol.com), October 19, 2004.

And even if it did help, that would not make it morally permissible.

Steve is wrong here. This falls under the principle of double effect. Yes masturbation is immoral but intent matters. Three things need to be present for a sin to be mortal. 1. grave matter. 2. Know it is wrong. 3. Will to do it. In this case it would not be a grave matter because you are trying to cure some ailment.

It would be like taking birth control because one has incredibly painful period. One can take birth control to prevent the pain. This would be permissible becasue one is trying to avoid the pain of the period and not take it for a non-medical reason.

However, this does not give people the green light to just go and do these things. The medical intent has to be a true medical intent and must be a final option.

-- Scott (papasquat10@hotmail.com), October 20, 2004.

Yes my last sentence was a bit loose. But it’s all hypothetical anyway because it wouldn’t help the medical condition. And as with taking the Pill for painful periods, it would only be justifiable if there was reasonably sufficient justification, eg a recommendation by a doctor (preferably a practising Catholic doctor in these cases) who knows what treatments are likely to work. You can't just try some objectively sinful action just because you think it might work.

-- Steve (55555@aol.com), October 20, 2004.

True.

-- Scott (papasquat10@hotmail.com), October 21, 2004.