The condition we’re going to talk about today is pretty rare. It affects around 1% of women, but it can really disrupt the lives of those who suffer from it. Persistent genital arousal disorder, or PGAD for short, was officially identified by the medical community back in 2001, when Sandra Leiblum and Sharon Nathan published an article about it in The Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy. At the time, they called it persistent genital arousal syndrome, and identified five specific criteria for diagnosis. 

These were then expanded by the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health in 2021. According to that organisation, PGAD refers to “persistent or recurrent, unwanted or intrusive, distressing sensations of genital arousal”. It is “most commonly experienced in the clitoris but also in other genito-pelvic regions” and “may include other types of genito-pelvic dysesthesia” like buzzing, tingling, burning, twitching, itch or pain.” The minimum duration for a diagnosis is 3 months.

Are you saying it’s like having a constant orgasm? So where does it actually come from then? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

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