You'll go blind, lose your strength, or grow hair on the palms of your hands. Those are just a few of the myths people used to tell about masturbation and health. Of course, most of us don't need medical science to tell us those just aren't true. What science does say about masturbation, however, is that it has a whole bunch of benefits for both men and women. Here's how a little self play can keep the doctor away.
The Benefits Are Nothing New
Got your masturbation prescription? Despite all the admonitions against it, it seems that doctors knew that a little five-finger fun was good for our health ... or at least women's health. In the 19th century and earlier, women could visit the doctor or midwife for a nice, relaxing genital stimulation session to treat their "hysteria". And we should be thankful, because that era led to a lot of developments in vibrator technology to save those poor doctors from repetitive strain injury! (Read more about the history of vibrators in Vibrators: Bigger and Generating More Buzz Than Ever.)