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New Sexual Repertoires: Enhancing Sexual Satisfaction for Men Following Non-traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

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Abstract

Sexuality is an important priority for people following spinal cord damage (SCD), due to the impact on sensory and motor function, including paralysis and associated mobility restrictions. Men living with SCD report difficulty in achieving and maintaining erection, impaired capacity for orgasm (with or without ejaculation), and increased likelihood of retrograde ejaculation as significant challenges for sexuality. The implications of these issues for men following non-traumatic SCD (spinal cord dysfunction or SCDys) has not been examined. Drawing on interviews with eight heterosexual men following SCDys, this paper seeks to examine the factors that impact sexual satisfaction. Due to a focus on coitus and the significance of erectile function in this, most participants reported dissatisfaction with their sexuality post-SCD. However, this could be overcome through expanding their sexual repertoires. Through providing information and education about non-coitus focused expressions of sexuality, there is scope for sexual rehabilitation services to significantly increase the quality of life of men after SCDys.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Sciences, Monash University, Level 4, 20 Chancellors Walk, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia

    Narelle Warren

  2. Spinal Rehabilitation Service, Caulfield Hospital, 360 Kooyong Road, Caulfield, VIC, Australia

    Cameron Redpath & Peter New

  3. Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Cameron Redpath & Peter New

  4. Epworth-Monash Rehabilitation Medicine Unit, Southern Medical School, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia

    Peter New

Authors
  1. Narelle Warren
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  2. Cameron Redpath
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  3. Peter New
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Correspondence to Narelle Warren.

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Conflicts of interest

Narelle Warren and Cameron Redpath declares that they have no conflicts of interest. Peter New is Rehabilitation Consultant and Head of Spinal Rehabilitation at Caulfield Hospital.

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Warren, N., Redpath, C. & New, P. New Sexual Repertoires: Enhancing Sexual Satisfaction for Men Following Non-traumatic Spinal Cord Injury. Sex Disabil 36, 19–32 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-017-9507-7

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