Sexual and urologic problems due to diabetes.
Sexual response and function may decrease as a person gets older. Bladder  problems may occur, as well. In people with diabetes such problems are far more common and characterized with early onset and progressively increased severity of symptoms. Sexual and urologic complications of diabetes are related to the nerve damage the disease can cause. The system that innervates the internal organs is called autonomic. The autonomic nerves govern and signal the relevant tissues and organs to digest food, filter and circulate blood, control blood pressure, secrete hormones, reproduce blood cells, perform healing procedure and other numerous involuntary functions. Sexual stimuli trigger increase of blood flow to the genitals by relaxing smooth muscle tissue. This function is essential for the sexual response to happen. Apparently, damage of these autonomic nerves affects this function. Men may encounter difficulties with erection (erectile dysfunction) or ejaculation (retrograde ejaculation). Women may have problems with low sexual response and decreased vaginal lubrication.
Diabetics are prone to bladder dysfunction, since the disease damages the nerves that control this organ. Bladder dysfunction may compromise the quality of a person's life. Both genders with diabetes, quite often, have symptoms that include a feeling of urinary urgency and high frequency. Overnight, urination or leakage of urine, called incontinence, may occur. Less common but more severe symptoms include difficulty in urinating and failure for the individual to empty the bladder (urine retention). All the above symptoms are caused by a medical condition called neurogenic and overactive bladder.
Statistics show that sexual problems, bladder dysfunction or urinary track infections occur far more often in diabetics and especially in people with poor control of blood glucose level or/and blood cholesterol level. Other risk factors include high blood pressure, obesity, smoking and age over forty. Effective management of diabetes through diet, medication and physical activity can prevent or minimize the risk for the above complications. |
