Sexual adjustment of men who have had strokes

Fifty men who had suffered moderate to severe strokes were interviewed approximately six months later and asked about their sexual adjustment. Interest in sex had returned in most cases, although the level of interest was reduced in some. Nearly all the men had regained their erectile capacity, usually after a delay of approximately seven weeks following the stroke. Of those sexually active with their partner before their strokes, over half had resumed sexual intercourse by the time of the interview. Most of these men had encountered difficulties because of the physical consequences of their strokes, but two-thirds had tried new sexual positions to compensate for this. Whether or not a couple resumed sexual activity after the man's stroke was largely predictable on the basis of the frequency of their previous sexual activity, rather than the man's age or the severity of physical disability. For patients who are sexually active before suffering strokes, subsequent rehabilitation should include brief counselling on sexual readjustment for both the patients and their partners.