Sexual problems of disabled patients

British Medical Journal, Feb 20, 1999 by Clive Glass, Bakulesh Soni

Management

* At first sign of symptoms (flushing, serious sweating above lesion level, nasal congestion, extreme headache) take immediate action to determine cause and remove stimulus

* Sublingual nifedipine can be used to lower blood pressure

Further help

Your local spinal injury centre should be able to advise on the availability of services for disabled people in the area Spinal injury centres are at

* Hexham General Hospital, Hexham NE46 1QJ (Tel 01434 606161)

* Musgrave Park Hospital, Beffast BT9 7JB (Tel 01232 669501)

* Northern General Hospital, Sheffield S5 7AU (Tel 0114 2434343)

* Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, Republic of Ireland (Tel 010 35 35 285 477)

* Pinderfields General Hospital, Wakefield WF1 4EE (Tel 01924 201688)

* Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry ST10 7AG (Tel 01691 404000)

* Rookwood Hospital, Cardiff CF5 2YN (Tel 01222 566281)

* Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore HA7 4LP (Tel 0181 954 2300)

* Salisbury District General Hospital, Salisbury SP2 8BJ (Tel 01722 336262)

* Southern General Hospital, Glasgow G51 4TF (Tel 0141 2012555)

* Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury HP21 8AL (Tel 01296 315000)

The posters for the Spinal Injuries Association were reproduced with permission of the SIA, and the photographs were by Jim Kelly. The painting by Teniers is reproduced with permission of the Bridgeman Art Library Wallace Collection.

Clive Glass is consultant clinical psychologist and Bakulesh Soni is consultant at the North West Regional Spinal Injuries Unit, Southport District General Hospital.

The ABC of sexual health is edited by John Tomlinson, physician at the Men's Health Clinic, Winchester, and London Bridge Hospital, and formerly general practitioner in Alton and honorary senior lecturer in primary care at the University of Southampton.

BMJ 1999;318:518-21