Carnal Knowledge | Paralyzed women rediscover orgasms

[Crunchy Frog]

Carnal Knowledge | Paralyzed women rediscover orgasms

By Faye Flam
Despite a glut of literature available on how to have more and better orgasms, science is only beginning to unravel the mysteries of the nervous system. The experiences of some paralyzed women prove how little we know: Though seemingly cut off from all feeling below the waist, some have found they still had orgasms when they tried sex. More mysterious still, some could have orgasms when touched in a spot on the trunk or neck just above the region of injury. <snip>

Neurologist Barry Komisaruk of Rutgers University has been studying sex in paralyzed women for the last 10 years. Sometimes, the loss of sex was the most devastating and irreconcilable consequence of spinal-cord injury, he says, tearing apart relationships and families. "Doctors had told many of them their sex life was over because there's no pathway to the brain," Komisaruk said.

A behavioral neuroscientist, he started out studying the nervous systems of rats. In female rats, the vaginal stimulation from sex caused a cascade of hormonal changes and kicked in a painkilling effect more powerful than morphine. There could be a blockbuster drug in this, he reasoned, if he could decode the neurobiology of female rat sex. <snip>

In the lab, the researchers investigated the women's sexual potential directly by giving them a device called a stimulator, which looks a little like a tampon. It's designed to create sensation in the vagina and cervix. "Some of the women who realized they still had sensation started crying," Komisaruk said. Until then, they had given up.

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/13100207.htm

Comment: Maybe if I got a spinal cord injury, I would finally get a sex life.:(

[Tace]

1. Paradoxical, Eh?

Interesting stuff.

[The Straight Story]

2. Maybe they could do something for Laura Bush :) (nt)

[darkmaestro019]

3. I forget who said so, but the most important sex organ

is between your ears : )

This makes me happy. I hope doctors get clued in, so that women (and men!) who suffer from an injury like this will at least TRY to see if the button's been moved, so to speak.

[mongo]

4. Very interesting.

I hope they do more studying of this, the research could have all sorts of implications for other issues/problems.

[Fovea]

5. I had a stroke, and lost sensation on

the right half of my body.

It took half a year to regain sexual function, but
lo and behold, I was eventually able to enjoy sex again.

I think it shows how essential sex is to health. Of course, having a patient and supportive partner makes a big difference.

[Beetwasher]

6. That's Cool!

I'm happy for them! Really, I am! That would totally suck not to be able to orgasm. Man, I can't even imagine how much that would suck.