Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

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

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Sexuality and Disability Aims and scope Submit manuscript

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.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Abramson, C.E., McBride, K.E., Konnyu, K.J., Elliott, S.L., SCIRE Research Team: Sexual health outcome measures for individuals with spinal cord injury: a systematic review. Spinal Cord 46(5), 320–324 (2008)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Anderson, K.D.: Targeting recovery: priorities of the spinal cord-injured population. J. Neurotrauma 21(10), 1371–1383 (2004)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Braun, V., Clarke, V.: Successful qualitative research: A practical guide for beginners. Sage, London (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Braun, V., Clarke, V.: Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qual. Res. Psychol. 3(2), 77–101 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Brown, D.J., Hill, S.T., Baker, H.W.: Male fertility and sexual function after spinal cord injury. Prog. Brain Res. 152, 427–439 (2006)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Di Giulio, G.: Sexuality and people living with physical or developmental disabilities: a review of key issues. Canad. J. Human Sex. 12(1), 53–68 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Elliott, S.: Sexual dysfunction in men with spinal cord injury. In: Lin, V.W. (ed.) Spinal Cord Medicine: Principles and Practice, 2nd edn, pp. 409–428. Demos Medical Publishing, New York (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Elliott, S.: Sexual dysfunction in women with spinal cord injury. In: Lin, V.W. (ed.) Spinal Cord Medicine: Principles and Practice, 2nd edn, pp. 429–437. Demos Medical Publishing, New York (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Guest, G., Bunce, A., Johnson, L.: How many interviews are enough: an experiment in data saturation. Field Methods 18(1), 59–82 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Herbenick, D., Reece, M., Schick, V., Sanders, S.A., Dodge, B., Fortenberry, J.D.: Sexual behavior in the United States: results from a National probability sample of men and women aged 14–94. J. Sex. Med. 7(Suppl. 5), 255–265 (2010)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Hillman, J.: Sexual issues and aging within the context of work with older adult patients. Prof. Psychol. Res. Pract. 39(3), 290–297 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Kirshblum, S.C., Priebe, M.M., Ho, C.H., et al.: Spinal cord injury medicine. 3. Rehabilitation phase after acute spinal cord injury. Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil. 88(3 Suppl 1), S62–S70 (2007)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Kreuter, M., Siosteen, A., Biering-Sorensen, F.: Sexuality and sexual life in women with spinal cord injury: a controlled study. J. Rehabil. Med. 40(1), 61–69 (2008)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Kulick, D., Rydström, J.: Loneliness and Its Opposite: Sex, Disability and the Ethics of Engagement. Duke University Press, Durham (2015)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  15. Mall, S., Swartz, L.: Sexuality, disability and human rights: Strengthening healthcare for disabled people. S. Afr. Med. J. 102(10), 792–793 (2012)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Manderson, L., Peake, S.: Men in motion: Disability and the performance of masculinity. In: Sandahl, C., Auslander, P. (eds.) Bodies in Commotion: Disability and Performance, pp. 230–242. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Manderson, L.: Boundary breaches: the body, sex and sexuality after stoma surgery. Soc. Sci. Med. 61(2), 405–415 (2005)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Manderson, L.: Surface Tensions: Surgery, Bodily Boundaries, and the Social Self. Left Coast Press, Walnut Creek (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  19. New, P., Reeves, R., Smith, É., Townson, A., Eriks-Hoogland, I., Gupta, A., et al.: International retrospective comparison of inpatient rehabilitation for patients with spinal cord dysfunction epidemiology and clinical outcomes. Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil. 96, 1080–1087 (2015)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. New, P.W.: Functional outcomes and disability after nontraumatic spinal cord injury rehabilitation: results from a retrospective study. Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil. 86(2), 250–261 (2005)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. New, P.W., Currie, K.E.: Development of a comprehensive survey of sexuality issues including a self-report version of the International Spinal Cord Injury sexual function basic data sets. Spinal Cord 54, 584–591 (2016). doi:10.1038/sc.2015.216

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. New, P.W., Seddon, M., Redpath, C., Currie, K.E., Warren, N.: Recommendations for spinal rehabilitation professionals regarding sexual education needs and preferences of people with spinal cord dysfunction: a mixed-methods study. Spinal Cord 54(12), 1203–1209 (2016). doi:10.1038/sc.2016.62

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. New, P.W., Simmonds, F., Stevermuer, T.: A population-based study comparing traumatic spinal cord injury and non-traumatic spinal cord injury using a national rehabilitation database. Spinal Cord 49(3), 397–403 (2011)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. New, P.W., Sundararajan, V.: Incidence of non-traumatic spinal cord injury in Victoria, Australia: a population-based study and literature review. Spinal Cord 46(6), 406–411 (2008)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Reece, M., Herbenick, D., Schick, V., Sanders, S.A., Dodge, B., Fortenberry, J.D.: Sexual behaviors, relationships, and perceived health among adult men in the United States: results from a National probability sample. J. Sex. Med. 7(Suppl. 5), 291–304 (2010)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Rowen, T.S., Stein, S., Tepper, M.: Sexual health care for people with physical disabilities. J. Sex. Med. 12(3), 584–589 (2015)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Sakellariou, D.: If not the disability, then what? Barriers to reclaiming sexuality following spinal cord injury. Sex. Disabil. 24(2), 101–111 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Sandelowski, M.: Sample size in qualitative research. Res. Nurs. Health 18(2), 179–183 (1995)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Seddon, M., Warren, N., New, P.W.: ‘I don’t get a climax any more at all’: pleasure and non-traumatic spinal cord damage. Sexualities (2017). doi:10.1177/1363460716688681

    Google Scholar 

  30. Seidman, S.: The Social Construction of Sexuality. WW Norton, New York (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  31. Shakespeare, T.: The sexual politics of disabled masculinity. Sex. Disabil. 17(1), 53–64 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Shakespeare, T.: Disabled sexuality: toward rights and recognition. Sex. Disabil. 18(3), 159–166 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Shildrick, M.: Sexual citizenship, governance and disability: From Foucault to Deleuze. In: Roseneil, S. (ed.) Beyond Feminism: Citizenship and the Transformation of Belonging. Basingstoke, Palgrave MacMillan (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  34. Shuttleworth, R.P.: Disabled masculinity: expanding the masculine repertoire. In: Smith, B.G., Hutchison, B. (eds.) Gendering Disability, pp. 166–178. Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  35. Simpson, L.A., Eng, J.J., Hsieh, J.T., Wolfe, D.L.: The health and life priorities of individuals with spinal cord injury: a systematic review. J. Neurotrauma 29(8), 1548–1555 (2012)

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  36. Sipski, M.L.: Sexuality and spinal cord injury: where we are and where we are going. Am. Rehab. 23(1), 26–30 (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  37. Tepper, M.S.: Letting go of restrictive notions of manhood: male sexuality, disability and chronic illness. Sex. Disabil. 17(1), 37–52 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Tepper, M.S.: Sexuality and disability: the missing discourse of pleasure. Sex. Disabil. 18(4), 283–290 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Tepper, M.S., Whipple, B., Richards, E., Komisaruk, B.R.: Women with complete spinal cord injury: a phenomenological study of sexual experiences. J. Sex Marital Ther. 27(5), 615–623 (2001)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Walters, A.S., Williamson, G.M.: Sexual satisfaction predicts quality of life: a study of adult amputees. Sex. Disabil. 16(2), 103–115 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Wiley, D., Bortz, W.M.: Sexuality and aging—usual and successful. J. Gerontol. Ser. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. 51A(3), M142–M146 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. World Health Organization: Defining Sexual Health: Report of a Technical Consultation on Sexual Health, 28–31 January 2002, Geneva. World Health Organization, Geneva (2006)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

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
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Cameron Redpath
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Peter New
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Narelle Warren.

Ethics declarations

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.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

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

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-017-9507-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation