Those who have suffered traumatic brain injury (TBI) face daunting challenges on many fronts, physical and mental. And unfortunately, sexual dysfunction often becomes an issue in the aftermath of brain damage, according to a new study.
The website Health Day did a story Monday on the sexual problems that can accompany TBI, based on a newly published review of research on the brain-damaged.
The study’s author, Jhon Alexander Moreno, a researcher at the University of Montreal, said that sexual problems surface and become most obvious roughly six months following the brain injury, and can get progressively worse if not treated, Health Day reported.
The latest research, published in NeuroRehabilitation: An International Journal, looked at the results of 14 studies that involved nearly 1,500 patients, spouses and their partners. The review found that 50 percent to 60 percent of those with TBI had sexual problems, including issues such as a reduced sex drive, erectile dysfunction and the inability to have an orgasm, according to Health Day.
There’s a variety of reasons for this, including problems caused by medications such as antidepressants.
And in a very shocking statistic, the study found that marital separation rates are as high as 78 percent among those who have TBI, Health Day reported.
Obviously, TBI survivors aren’t the only ones affected. When a spouse or partner is suddenly forced into the role of caregiver, it can damper their sexual ardor for their mate, researchers told Health Day.
When someone with TBI is receiving treatment, it likely involves physical rehab, and perhaps a neurologist, psychologist and speech pathologist — not a sex therapist, according to Health Day.
The bottom line is that sexual problems among those with TBI should not remain unaddressed. Brain injury specialists need to encourage patients to talk about the issue, and then find ways to address it.
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I have struggled for years dealing with all the problems associated with Diffuse Axonal Injury (mbi) caused by CO. One of the biggest problems I’ve encountered is the lack of quality care, little understanding of the injury and treatment from medical professionals for people like me without private insurance. Originally in 2003, the personal injury attorney I had was able to settle a lawsuit with the defendant for $25k (taking 45%), leaving me with just $13.75k and $8K in medical bills.
Six years later I’m left depressed, broke, unable to find work, on public assistance and for the past 3 years attempting to get Social Security Disability. Preparing for the SS Hearing has been hard for me to determine what tests I need to prove my case, to find medical professionals or others who were knowledgeable enough to help and those few in the medical field willing to take Medi-Cal insurance. Three months ago I found a Speech Pathologist (SP) to begin my evaluation process, last month I discovered that my SP was able to request a referral from my primary care doctor for a Neuropsycologist Evaluation (scheduled for the end of the month).
Through your web site I found that another valuable diagnostic test the ENG and Vestibular Testing might be most beneficial for me to present to the Ad. Law Judge at the SS Department. Based on the information I’ve outlined here is the Neuropsycologist Evaluation more or less important than the ENG and Vestibular Testing? Do I need both to bolster my injury claim? How and who should I approach to request additional tests should I need them?
A treating neuropsychologist testimony can be extremely valuable at a Social Security hearing. If you received a neuropsychological assessment which shows a brain injury and can get a neuropsychologist to call in to testify at your hearing, you have a higher probability of being successful. The guidelines here need to be cited to the ALJ and your proof built around the things that you can not do on this list:
https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0425020010!opendocument