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Bowel Problems and Disabilities

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The information on bowel health in women with SCI is even harder to find than that of bladder. Bowel dysfunction is said to be one of the most devastating complications of SCI as it greatly affects not only physical health but quality of life.2 Despite its importance on both health and quality of life, no research examining the bowel health of women with SCI exists other than the effect of bowel incontinence on sexual health.1,3,4,5 Several studies suggest complete emptying of the bowel before sexual activity though some women complained this took away the spontaneity of sex.2,4,5

1. Abramson, C E, K E McBride, K J Konnyu, and S L Elliott. 2008. "Sexual health outcome measures for individuals with a spinal cord injury: a systematic review." Spinal Cord 46: 320-324.

2. Benevento, Barbara T, and Marca L Sipski. 2002. "Neurogenic Bladder, Neurogenic Bowel, and Sexual Dysfunction in People With Spinal Cord Injury." Journal of the American Physical Therapy Association 82: 601-612.

3. Forsythe, E, and J E Horsewell. 2006. "Sexual rehabilitation of women with a spinal cord injury." Spinal Cord 44: 234-241.

4. Fritz, Heather A, Heather Dillaway, and Cathy L Lysack. 2015. "“Don’t Think Paralysis Takes Away Your Womanhood”: Sexual Intimacy After Spinal Cord Injury." American Journal of Occupational Therapy 69 (2).

5. Hess, Marika J, and Sigmund Hough. 2012. "Impact of spinal cord injury on sexuality: Broad-based clinical practice intervention and practical application." The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine 35 (4): 211-218.