New research shows spinal surgery improves sexual function

Chronic low back pain can limit daily activities, including sex. New research presented today at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) found that 70 percent of patients found sexual activity "related" to their quality of life and found that patients undergoing surgical treatment for spinal spondylolisthesis (DS) and Spinal stenosis (SS) (mostly the elderly) common degenerative conditions that occur in adults) were twice as likely to report no pain during sex.

"Our current research sheds light on the impact of spine surgery on a patient's sex life and is beginning to define the impact of spinal disease on this crucial aspect of life," said Shane Burch, MD, an orthopedic surgeon, senior study author. University of California, San Francisco.

Researchers reviewed data from the Spine Patients Outcomes Research Study (SPORT) of 1,235 patients diagnosed with DS or SS. How did the pain affect your sex life in the last week? answers to the question. It was used to determine the sexual life relationship. Patients who chose "I can't answer" or "doesn't suit me" were included in the sex life unrelated (NR) group. Patients who chose other options were placed in the sex-related (SLR) group. The mean age of patients in the NR and SLR groups was 68 and 63, respectively. Seventy percent of the patients were in the SLR group.

There was a higher correlation between being in the NR group in patients who were female or unmarried or had a concomitant joint problem or hypertension. At baseline, 40 percent of SLR patients reported having pain at some gender-related level.

A total of 825 patients, 449 with SS and 376 with DS, were included in the study. A total of 294 patients received nonoperative treatment and 531 patients received surgical treatment. Patients who did not have surgery were more likely to report gender-related pain at all follow-up time periods (from 41 percent compared to 20 percent). Percentages remained stable during annual visits at one year, two years, three years, and four years after surgery. Previous research has found that 41 percent of doctors routinely question patients with lumbar disc herniations about sexual problems.

Dr. "Our current research has two key findings," Horst said. “First, that sexual activity and sexual function are an important consideration in patients with degenerative spine conditions. The study also shows that sexual function is a more relevant consideration in married, young, and male patients. Our second major finding. "They reported less pain in their sex life compared to patients treated without surgery. This finding persisted throughout the four-year follow-up."

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20150324/New-research-shows-spinal-surgery-improves-sexual-function-reduces-low-back-pain.aspx