Most women remain sexually active after sustaining a spinal cord injury, but they do face certain challenges, according to an article in press recently published in Sexual Medicine.
Problems with sexual desire, lubrication, and orgasms are common, researchers have found.
Spinal cord injuries affect the nerve pathways that connect the brain to other parts of the body. As a result, a person with a spinal cord injury may have problems with movement, sensation, and bodily functions below the injured area. Injuries are classified as complete (with complete paralysis below the injury site) or incomplete (with some movement and sensation below that point).
Many women menstruate, have sexual intercourse, and become pregnant after a spinal cord injury. However, less is known about their sexual function compared to men.
“In the treatment of women’s sexual dysfunctions, we can see only the tip of the iceberg,” the study authors noted.
In their study, they worked with 30 sexually active women with traumatic spinal cord injuries in the Czech Republic. The women’s ages ranged from 19 to 51 years, with an average age of 35 years. An average of 9 years had passed since their injury. Thirty sexually active women without spinal cord injuries served as a control group.
All of the women completed a study-specific questionnaire, providing information about their sexual activities, sexual frequency, erotogenous zones, lubrication, orgasm, and satisfaction.
Women with spinal cord injury compared their sexual lives before and after their injury. The most frequently reported changes were lower sexual desire, poorer lubrication, and fewer orgasms.
Just over half of the women said they had lower sensitivity. Forty percent experienced spasms and mobility issues. Thirteen percent had pain, and 10% said their partner was less accommodating.
Compared to the control group, the women with spinal cord injury were more likely to prefer coital activity as well as mouth and nipple stimulation. However, they were also more likely to have trouble with lubrication and orgasm.
Poor bladder control can cause a number of sexual problems for women with spinal cord injury, the authors said. Many feel embarrassed by incontinence during sex, and anxiety can take a toll on their sexual self-confidence and relationships. However, there are steps they can take to lessen the impact, such as avoiding alcoholic and caffeinated beverages before sex. It may also help to empty the bladder beforehand.
Educating women with spinal cord injuries, along with their partners, is essential, the authors added. “Sexual information and counseling should be available during initial rehabilitation and after the women have returned to their homes,” they wrote.
Resources
Sexual Medicine
Sramkova, Tatana, MD, PhD, et al.
“Women's Sex Life After Spinal Cord Injury”
(Article in press. Published online: September 27, 2017)
http://www.smoa.jsexmed.org/article/S2050-1161(17)30058-2/fulltext
MedlinePlus
“Spinal Cord Injuries”
(Page last updated: April 11, 2017)
https://medlineplus.gov/spinalcordinjuries.html
University of Alabama School of Medicine
“What is a spinal cord injury?”
http://www.uab.edu/medicine/sci/faqs-about-spinal-cord-injury-sci/what-is-a-spinal-cord-injury