Paraplegics and Marital Relations
Question
In your section on marital sexuality, I read the information you posted in response to a question about the nature of the sexual relationship for a married couple, when the husband is paralyzed. Are there any medical options that would permit intercourse for spouses in this situation? S
Answer
Last Updated: December 13, 2014
RE: Paraplegics/marital relations
Much has been learned about the physical and psychological needs of spinal cord injury patients over the last fifty years. Today there are many spinal cord injury centers scattered across the United States that harbor a wealth of information for patients challenged with this disability, and they continue to research answers for difficult problems such as how to effect normal marital intimacy in paraplegics. A recent article (09/05) from the Dallas, TX, Veterans spinal cord injury center was able to achieve ejaculation in a very high paraplegic (T3) by using a combination of a penile vibrator (“Ferti Care Personal vibrator”) and an abdominal electric stimulator. Could this be adapted in some way so that a couple could achieve true marital intimacy? I do not know, but I would strongly suggest a couple faced with this difficulty research it further with their closest spinal cord injury center. These are the folks with the most expertise and well-worth the time is takes for a consultation.
Gregory Polito, MD
Much has been learned about the physical and psychological needs of spinal cord injury patients over the last fifty years. Today there are many spinal cord injury centers scattered across the United States that harbor a wealth of information for patients challenged with this disability, and they continue to research answers for difficult problems such as how to effect normal marital intimacy in paraplegics. A recent article (09/05) from the Dallas, TX, Veterans spinal cord injury center was able to achieve ejaculation in a very high paraplegic (T3) by using a combination of a penile vibrator (“Ferti Care Personal vibrator”) and an abdominal electric stimulator. Could this be adapted in some way so that a couple could achieve true marital intimacy? I do not know, but I would strongly suggest a couple faced with this difficulty research it further with their closest spinal cord injury center. These are the folks with the most expertise and well-worth the time is takes for a consultation.
Gregory Polito, MD
Answered By:
Gregory Polito, MD
Gregory Polito,MD, KM, Past President of CANFP, retired from a urologic practice, with a sub-specialty in vasectomy reversal
