LOS Angeles concert-goers were enjoying a rendition of Tchaikovsky’s fifth symphony last week, when the sound of someone having a ‘loud and fully body orgasm’ suddenly cut through the music.
The incident sparked lively debate between audience members about whether the moaning woman was in the throes of toe-curling pleasure, or if she jerked awake after nodding off.
Christine Decker, seen here in late 2016, was diagnosed with PGAD after slipping a disk in her back
Christine suffered through hundreds of spontaneous orgasms a day before transitioning
Spectator Molly Grant told the LA Times she thought the unknown woman had orgasmed “because she was heavily breathing, and her partner was smiling and looking at her — like in an effort to not shame her.”
But another attendee said they’d witnessed her fall asleep on her partner’s lap and wake with a cry ‘five seconds later’.
Nevertheless, her ‘scream/moan’ – which the LA Philharmonic blithely continued playing over – lead some to wonder whether the woman was suffering from a rare condition which causes uncontainable genital arousal.
Known as persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD), sufferers can feel aroused without experiencing sexual desire and many can have multiple unprovoked orgasms over hours, days or weeks.
Researchers estimated it may affect one per cent of the population, although not everyone’s symptoms can are as severe.
Being constantly aroused however, isn’t as fun as it sounds.
Medical News Today reported that people with PGAD can have trouble getting on with their day-to-day lives and may experience anxiety, panic attacks and depression.
Christine Decker from Wisconsin – who made headlines as Dale Decker in 2014 before she came as transgender – developed the ultra rare condition after slipping a disk in her back.
She suffered a terrifying 236 orgasms in hospital while paramedics watched in horror, and Christine later became completely housebound.
When she spoke up about experiencing more than 100 orgasms daily, she was met with merciless trolling rather than sympathy.
But after transitioning in June 2015, Christine said the hormone therapy which reduced her levels of testosterone also slashed the number of her daily orgasms to just eight.
For mum Cara Anaya-Carlis, having PGAD meant something a simple as the vibrations from a washing machine could send her spiralling into episodes that could last between four and six hours, where she’d experience orgasms every 30 seconds.
The Mail reported Cara began to ‘feel too dirty’ to be a part of her son’s life and felt too embarrassed to work.
Lior Ofir Schwartz from Miami Beach, Florida began feeling constantly aroused despite not having sexual desires in 2012.
She described the feeling as a ‘painful’ itch she could not scratch, which would usually come on before when she was stressed or at night.
Lior’s condition worsened to the point that she was unable to have sex with her now husband Jonathan when she began dating him, due to the pain.
And a mum who started suffering uncontrollable orgasms following an NHS checkup was left devastated after being told her health board wouldn’t fund the medicinal cannabis to help her.
Doctors have struggle to identify what exactly causes PGAD.
According to Medical News Today, stress, Tourette’s syndrome, epilepsy, trauma to the central nervous system and surgery to the lower back could trigger the condition.
In a 2012 study, MRI results showed that 66.7 per cent of women who demonstrate PGAD symptoms also had a Tarlov cyst – abnormal sacs filled with spinal fluid in the base of the spine.
PERSISTENT genital arousal disorder (PGAD) is spontaneous, persistent and unwanted genital arousal without any sexual desire or satisfaction.
Multiple orgasms over hours, days or weeks can be agonising for sufferers, offering no relief.
Scientists do not know what causes the condition, but suspect neurological, vascular, pharmacological or psychological causes may play a role.
Symptoms can persist for long periods of time, and include:
pressure
pain
clitoral throbbing
tingling
vaginal congestion
vaginal contractions
spontaneous orgasms
The signs and symptoms can affect the vagina, labia, perineum and anus.
The condition can impact on a sufferer’s work and home life, leaving many feeling embarrassed, and avoiding sexual relationships.
People who have PGAD can undergo cognitive behavioural therapy to help identify what triggers the attacks and to manage the ensuing anxiety.
Antidepressants and anti-seizure drugs have also been used as treatment and – in the case of Tarlov cysts being presence – surgery could also work.