New spinal implant allows paralyzed men to get an erection again

[davidn3600]

(CNN) -- While practicing for a national motocross competition in 2009, Kent Stephenson's motorcycle suddenly locked up and crashed, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. He was just 21 years old and would never walk again.

He was also devastated to learn that he would never have sex again.

Or so he thought.

For three years Stephenson couldn't function sexually. Then one evening he was getting intimate with a woman and to his shock he had an erection.

"It went from zero to hero," Stephenson said.

No, it wasn't Viagra -- doctors had previously prescribed the pill in huge doses, but all he got was a big headache. What gave Stephenson his groove back was an electrical stimulator surgically implanted in his spine as part of a study on paralysis.

--

"It's a life-changer," agreed Andrew Meas, one of three other men who received the stimulator as part of a paralysis experiment at the University of Louisville. The men, who all experienced varying levels of sexual dysfunction, say their sex lives returned to normal once the stimulators were implanted.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/07/31/health/paralysis-sexual-function/index.html

Pretty cool.

[DavidDvorkin]

1. Someone will be along to dismiss this as wasteful research

And to complain about the focus on men.

[NYC Liberal]

7. Didn't take long...

[DavidDvorkin]

10. Indeed

It was even faster than I expected.

[Initech]

2. Why am I suddenly reminded of Idiocracy?

"Our nation's top scientists were focused on conquering hair loss and prolonging erections."

[RandySF]

3. Sex is not important until one loses the ability to have it.

[onehandle]

4. Finally. Hope for gun nuts. nt

[Lochloosa]

5. Should someone post this for the freepers to see.

It might change their outlook on life

[Skittles]

6. naw, I thought Viagra would mean fewer wars

alas, it ain't so

[LeftyMom]

8. That's awesome. Definitely a quality of life concern.

Weirdly, it'll also make paralyzed men eligible for Catholic mariages who weren't before: no possibility of coitus means no Catholic wedding. Every few years it makes the news when they tell a couple no.

[rocktivity]

9. A 2004 survey of more than 300 people paralyzed from the chest down -- mostly men --

Last edited Sun Aug 3, 2014, 10:00 AM - Edit history (1)

found that regaining sexual function was their highest priority. Bowel and bladder control was No. 2 on their list. Regaining the ability to walk was No. 5...

"Sure, I'd like to walk someday, too," Stephenson said."But just give me sexual function and bowel and bladder control -- I'm a happy camper."


rocktivity

[Ino]

13. It's nice to know...

that paralysis doesn't change men's priorities.

[littlemissmartypants]

11. Oxytocin is a powerful drug. eom

[intaglio]

12. Well, another thing that Hobby Lobby's insurance will have to cover

Thanks, Obama!