According to the Foundation For Spinal Cord Injury, Prevention, Care & Cure, there are approximately 259,000 people in the United States living with spinal cord injuries. Although experiencing a spinal cord injury affects many normal bodily functions, it often makes it difficult for men to sustain safe and functioning erections.
The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves enclosed in the spine that spreads to the furthest points in your body, and some of these nerves control when you get an erection. If any of the nerves become damaged due to an SCI, it can cause a disruption in signals that the brain sends to the body, so your brain cannot successfully allow your body to have an erection.
A SCI is also divided by level of injury, which can range from upper to lower levels. Depending on the level of injury obtained, men still may be able to experience some form of erections after healing.
To further understand how a SCI affects safe and functioning erections, take a look at the different kinds of erections men experience according to Craig Hospital.
Psychogenic: Occurs after thinking of something you find arousing or attractive and may come from sights, sounds, or thoughts that are arousing. The area of the spinal cord responsible for these erections is located between T11 – L2. So if your level of injury is obtained at or above this level, the message (arousing thoughts) from your brain cannot get through the damaged part of your spinal cord.
Reflexogenic: A direct result of physical touch or stimulation.
Spontaneous: Usually occurs when the bladder is full or after some kind of internal stimulation.
The ability to get a reflexogenic erection or spontaneous erection is controlled by nerves found in the lowest part of the spinal cord, segments S2- S4.
Essentially, it’s important to explore and find out what works best for you in order to have the most success and satisfaction. These cases are highly individualized, so pay attention to times where you do experience an erection and be aware of the level of your injury. It will always be beneficial to speak to your doctor and choose the best plan for you, so that you can achieve the life that both you and your partner want.