Saturday, May 26, 2012

Disability and Sexual Complications

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Yes, there are toys that may enhance your pleasure. Since you are online, you can go to Sexualhealth.com and look through the toys for men. There are sleeves, pumps, tubes and other devices to choose from. See, for example, the Jelly Vibro Tube that has both ends open so you can position the sleeve to provide maximum stimulation exactly where you want it. Slow down, savor the sensations and let sexual energy grow. Try positions that increase the amount of full-body contact. Chances are you and your partner will appreciate it immensely if you take the time to get more physically and emotionally connected.


I am a C6-7 incomplete quad with pretty good sensation and no trouble getting erections. The problem is, I can only ejaculate for about two days in a row, sometimes three. Then I must "save up" for two or three weeks before I can ejaculate again, even though I have good erections during this period. Is this normal? If not, is there anything I can do or take (vitamins?) that would charge me up faster?

Mitch Tepper at Sexualhealth.com: The range of normal human sexuality is very large, with or without spinal cord injury. For those of us with SCI who can ejaculate, frequency is often inconsistent and may vary greatly over time. But from what I understand, frequency of ejaculation in men with SCI has nothing to do with "saving up" seminal fluid. Semen is made of sperm from the testicles and fluid from the seminal vesicles and prostate. The seminal vesicles produce about 70 percent of the seminal fluid, which activates the sperm and supplies sugar--energy--for the long journey to follow. The prostate gland produces a thin, milky, alkaline fluid that accounts for most of the balance of the fluid. Together, the sperm, seminal fluid and prostatic fluid equal only about one teaspoon. The production of semen does not seem to be affected by SCI. The problem seems to lie in the two-stage process of ejaculation--emission and propulsion. Emission is controlled primarily by nerves exiting the spine at T11 and Tl2 and propulsion is primarily controlled by nerves exiting the lower spine at S2 to S4. The combined process of emission and propulsion is a complex neurological reflex causing the seminal vesicles and prostate gland to contract and squeeze their fluids into the urethra (this point is experienced as ejaculatory inevitability) which in turn triggers rhythmic contractions of muscles along the penis. Voila, ejaculation occurs. After ejaculation there is a so-called refractory period during which most men cannot respond to additional sexual stimulation. The length of this period increases with age. For men with SCI, the complex reflex responsible for ejaculation seems to become exhausted and needs much more time to recuperate. I've searched for a more complete answer to this problem, and this is the only explanation I've found. There are no nutritional supplements or special diets that will help you recharge any faster. Fortunately, sexual pleasure and orgasm are not solely dependent on ejaculation.

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