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.
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