title: Assessing and conceptualizing orgasm after a spinal cord injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide a questionnaire for assessing the sensations characterizing orgasm. To test the hypothesis that orgasm is related to autonomic hyperreflexia (AHR) in individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 97 men with SCI, of whom 50 showed AHR at ejaculation and 39 showed no AHR, were compared. Ejaculation was obtained through natural stimulation, vibrostimulation or vibrostimulation combined with midodrine (5-25 mg). Cardiovascular measures were recorded before, at, and after each test. Responses to the questionnaire were divided into four categories: cardiovascular, muscular, autonomic and dysreflexic sensations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly more sensations were described at ejaculation than with sexual stimulation alone. Men with SCI who experienced AHR at ejaculation reported significantly more cardiovascular, muscular, autonomic and dysreflexic responses than those who did not. There was no difference between men with complete and those with incomplete lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings show that the questionnaire is a useful tool to assess orgasm and to guide patients in identifying the bodily sensations that accompany or build up to orgasm. The findings also support the hypothesis that orgasm may be related to the presence of AHR in individuals with SCI. Data from able-bodied men also suggest that AHR could be related to orgasm, as increases in blood pressure are observed at ejaculation along with cardiovascular, autonomic and muscular sensations.
authors.affiliation: Université du Québec à Montréal, QC, Canada. courtois.frederique@uqam.ca
authors.forename: Frédérique
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Courtois
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Charvier
authors.forename: Jean-Guy
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Vézina
authors.forename: Nicolas Morel
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Journel
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carrier
authors.forename: Géraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jacquemin
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Côté
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020211:Autonomic Dysreflexia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004542:Ejaculation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009948:Orgasm / Q000502:physiology*; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000503:physiopathology; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000503:physiopathology; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult