Spinal Cord Injury: Sexuality

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The way you approach sex, dating, relationships, and intimacy with a spinal cord injury may be different from before your injury. Explore this resource section to heighten your sexual creativity, knowledge, and enjoyment.

Resources on sexual anatomy and fertility after spinal cord injury that help you understand what’s changed and what hasn’t. Learning about your anatomy as it relates the mechanics of sex and fertility is only one part of the subject.

There is information on getting pregnant and fathering a child. Or the options that exist to help with the ‘physical’ response of arousal. Women’s topics include understanding the anatomical impact of spinal cord injury on a woman’s menstrual cycle, one’s ability to get pregnant, and resources to help you manage your health during pregnancy. Tips to support healthy childbirth and parenting with a spinal cord injury are also included.  For men, topics include resources to assist with erectile dysfunction, medications, and other resources to enhance fertility and sexual vitality.

For many, sex after paralysis is more than creating or having a baby. Added resources on the topic of intimacy after spinal cord injury include information on body image, ways to feel sexy and attractive, tips for dating and building relationships.

Spinal Cord Injury: Sexuality Spinal Cord Injuries can affect the ability to function in many ways, including sexuality and intimacy. The way you feel about sex and the ability to have sex is very important, but is different for every person. The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) created this consumer education sheet to answer the questions many have about sex after a spinal cord injury. Additional resources on sexuality and intimacy are available to the public from RIC through its patient and family education center, the LIFE (Learning, Innovation, Family, Empowerment) Center. Sexuality resources are found within the Support & Wellness section of the LIFE website.