Dhat syndrome

Jump to navigation Jump to search
The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.

WikiDoc Resources for Dhat syndrome

Articles

Most recent articles on Dhat syndrome

Most cited articles on Dhat syndrome

Review articles on Dhat syndrome

Articles on Dhat syndrome in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ

Media

Powerpoint slides on Dhat syndrome

Images of Dhat syndrome

Photos of Dhat syndrome

Podcasts & MP3s on Dhat syndrome

Videos on Dhat syndrome

Evidence Based Medicine

Cochrane Collaboration on Dhat syndrome

Bandolier on Dhat syndrome

TRIP on Dhat syndrome

Clinical Trials

Ongoing Trials on Dhat syndrome at Clinical Trials.gov

Trial results on Dhat syndrome

Clinical Trials on Dhat syndrome at Google

Guidelines / Policies / Govt

US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Dhat syndrome

NICE Guidance on Dhat syndrome

NHS PRODIGY Guidance

FDA on Dhat syndrome

CDC on Dhat syndrome

Books

Books on Dhat syndrome

News

Dhat syndrome in the news

Be alerted to news on Dhat syndrome

News trends on Dhat syndrome

Commentary

Blogs on Dhat syndrome

Definitions

Definitions of Dhat syndrome

Patient Resources / Community

Patient resources on Dhat syndrome

Discussion groups on Dhat syndrome

Patient Handouts on Dhat syndrome

Directions to Hospitals Treating Dhat syndrome

Risk calculators and risk factors for Dhat syndrome

Healthcare Provider Resources

Symptoms of Dhat syndrome

Causes & Risk Factors for Dhat syndrome

Diagnostic studies for Dhat syndrome

Treatment of Dhat syndrome

Continuing Medical Education (CME)

CME Programs on Dhat syndrome

International

Dhat syndrome en Espanol

Dhat syndrome en Francais

Business

Dhat syndrome in the Marketplace

Patents on Dhat syndrome

Experimental / Informatics

List of terms related to Dhat syndrome

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Dhat syndrome is a condition found in the cultures of the Indian subcontinent in which male patients report that they suffer from premature ejaculation or impotence, and believe that they are passing semen in their urine.

In traditional Hindu spirituality, semen is described as a 'vital fluid'. The discharge of this 'vital fluid', either through sex or masturbation, is associated with marked feelings of anxiety and dysphoria. Often the patient describes the loss of a whitish fluid while passing urine. At other times, marked feelings of guilt associated with what the patient assumes is 'excessive' masturbation are noted.

This is based on an old Hindu belief that it takes forty drops of blood to create a drop of bone marrow and forty drops of bone marrow to create a drop of sperm.

Symptoms

Young males are most often affected, though similar symptoms have been reported in females with excessive vaginal discharge or leucorrhea which is also considered a 'vital fluid'.

Premature ejaculation and impotence are commonly seen. Other somatic symptons like weakness, easy fatiguability, palpitations, insomnia, low mood, guilt and anxiety are often present. Males sometimes report a subjective feeling that their penises have shortened.

Culture-bound Syndrome?

Some doctors believe dhat syndrome to be either a culture-bound presentation of clinical depression as a somatized set of symptoms or a result of Western doctors' misinterpretation of patients' descriptions of their condition. It is very common in Pakistani culture as well. Most of them come with the complaints of "drops" .. and become extremely anxious about it and see it as loss of "male power". it is often related with obsessive ruminations and somatoform symptoms. Others see it as a distinct clinical entity which is less culture-bound than these critics assert, and describe it as one form of a syndrome of "semen-loss anxiety" which also occurs in other Eastern cultures as jiryan and shen-k'uei, as well as in Western cultures.

Treatment

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is the mainstay of treatment.

At other times counseling, anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications have been shown to be of use.

de:Dhat-Syndrom nl:Dhatsyndroom

Template:WH Template:WS