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Editorial Comment: Sexual functioning in patients with lower urinary tract dysfunction improves after percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 18, page 476 (2006)Cite this article

Lower urinary tract dysfunctions treated with neuromodulation by percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation appear to concurrently improve sexual function, particularly in women with overactive bladder. The authors state that women with involuntary urine loss may not feel as sexually attractive, which may negatively impact their sexual functioning. There is also the possibility that the beneficial effects of neuromodulation (whatever they may be) on the micturition reflex are also enhancing the neural circuitry of the sexual reflexes. This was particularly noticeable in the orgasmic response of women in this study. Both sexual and micturition reflexes share common pathways, and may respond to modulation. This dual response is sometimes seen in the implanted neural prostheses in spinal cord-injured patients.1

Neuromodulation is gaining popularity as a treatment for a variety of pelvic disorders. But until we have a better understanding of pelvic neurophysiology, we can only guess about the effects of neuromodulation and neurostimulation on genitourinary dysfunctions, and which patients can be successfully and consistently treated.

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References

  1. Creasey GH, Ho CH, Triolo RJ, Gater DR, DiMarco AF, Bogie KM et al. Clinical applications of electrical stimulation after spinal cord injury. J Spinal Cord Med 2004; 27: 365–375.

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  1. Department of Urology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    C Yang

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Yang, C. Editorial Comment: Sexual functioning in patients with lower urinary tract dysfunction improves after percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation. Int J Impot Res 18, 476 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijir.3901458

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijir.3901458

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