NEWS

Is masturbation normal?
Translate Log in or create an account
Your health, your choices
Health A-Z Live Well Care and support Health news Services near you
Masturbation is completely normal and
extremely common. People of all ages
masturbate and it’s often the first sexual
experience they have.
However, not everybody enjoys masturbating
and there’s no reason to do it if you don’t
want to.
What is masturbation?
Masturbation is when you get sexual pleasure
from touching your genitals, usually with your
hand. You can masturbate yourself or a
partner. Masturbation usually leads to an
orgasm.
Generally, men and boys masturbate by
rubbing or moving their hand up and down
their erect penis. Women and girls may use
their fingers or hand to rub the area around
their clitoris or vagina.
Many people enjoy masturbating with their
partner as part of a healthy sex life and
there’s no right or wrong way to masturbate.
Can masturbating cause any health problems?
Masturbation doesn’t cause any harm, either
physically or mentally, even if you do it often.
Your genitals may feel sore if you masturbate
a lot in a short space of time.
If you masturbate with a partner, the risk of
passing on or getting a sexually transmitted
infection (STI) is low, as long as you don’t
pass genital fluids to one another on your
fingers or in any other way.
Although people may be embarrassed to talk
about masturbating, you shouldn’t feel
ashamed of it or guilty about doing it. If you
feel the need to masturbate is interfering with
your everyday life, talking to a GP may help.
Read the answers to more questions about
sexual health.
Further information:
What is oral sex?
What can cause orgasm problems in women?
What can cause premature, delayed or dry
orgasms?
Masturbation Q&A
Good sex tips
Sex and young people
Brook: sexual health for under-25s
Page last reviewed: 11/01/2016
Next review due: 11/01/2018