Sexuality is really different after a stroke. There are
some consequences and those who want to experience normal life after a stroke
should be aware of them.
Strokes are responsible for over 15% of deaths in
developed countries and the numbers are higher in undeveloped countries. 3 out
of 10 patients that have experienced a stroke have permanent consequences
although most of them don’t need help with their everyday activities. Around
20% of these patients need help with at least one daily activity and some of
them need institutional help. More severe cases of stroke leave patients with
severe disabilities.
Stroke (cerebrovascular accident (CVA)) is a disease
that dramatically impacts the life of those who are suffering from it and also
the lives of the people that leave with that person. In some cases it can
destroy the balance between the partners that existed before. A stroke usually
affects the walking, senses, emotional life and even mutual understanding
between partners. All these things can significantly affect the sexual life.
When it comes to stroke and erectile dysfunction,
nearly 8 in 10 men experience them but the good thing is that they usually
disappear after few months (without any special treatment for sexual dysfunction). However, many
couples have difficulties in their bed years after the stroke occurred. A
special kind of problems can be caused by urinal difficulties that usually
appear after a stroke. Psychological
factors such as low self-esteem can also impact the sex life and they are often
caused by antidepressant intake. Sexuality and relationship with the partner
can cause emotional difficulties and behavioral changes like apathy,
explosiveness etc. Many people fear that being sexually active again could lead
to another stroke and that’s why they avoid sexual intercourse. These fears are
not based on facts and they are just irrational. In some cases partners have to
find another way of communication. This is a factor that can really complicate
sexuality after stroke because some people have difficulties to speak and even
understand other people.
Stroke can hit different regions of the brain. In some
cases, it may damage the area of sexuality. Stroke can also affect the
hypothalamus, region of the brain that is managing the actions of the hormones.
In rare cases this damage can lead to a reverse process where the stroke
sufferer has increased sexual desire and it can even lead to
unusual/inappropriate sexual behavior.
The biggest problem is the rejection of the current
situation and a strong desire to return in the time before the stroke happened.
By accepting the current situation, patients can have faster progress in their
life. The fear that the stroke sufferer will be rejected by his or her partner
is strong but the truth is that the other partner can more easily accept the
physical changes compared to the psychological changes.
In some cases there is a link between pregnancy and
stroke. Stroke can be a result of taking birth control pills. Women during
pregnancy are facing three times higher risk of stroke. However this last claim
is rejected by some researchers and this is an area that still needs to be
explored.
