16
ESSM
Today
The Patient’s Corner
by Mily Lemos and Irem Hatan
Mily lemos
Associate Editor
Avenida de Menendez Peleyo 75
Bajo derecha 3
28007 Madrid, Spain
ESHA Focuses on Sexuality and Urinary In-
continence
During my 4-years of ESHA presidency, I par-
ticipated in many projects that made me un-
derstand that sexuality is an important part of
every person’s physical and mental health and
that sexuality can be embarrassing for many
people to discuss. The same goes for urinary
incontinence. So it can be doubly difficult to ad-
dress when incontinence gets in the way of a
satisfying sex life. This is why ESHA has chosen
as this year’s topic “Sexuality and Urinary Incon-
tinence”. We would like to remind the patients
that there is hope for them and their partners
to restore sexuality, or to improve problems that
may develop. Incontinence does not have to be
a barrier to a healthy sex life.
Like every year, we are again organizing an in-
teractive role-playing session on
January 24
th
at 13:00 – 14:00
“Incontinence and Sex”
Like every year, we will try to demonstrate the
issues for the couple visiting their physician. As
ESHA we always advice the couples to talk to
their doctors, but are we sure that the doctors
know how to communicate with their patients?
While the patients shouldn’t be afraid to tell
their doctors about their incontinence problem,
or about its effect on their sex life, are their
physicians ready to understand them, to ask
the right questions and to give practical advice?
I certainly hope that this session will give some
important tips regarding precisely these issues.
I invite all ESSM members to attend. The at-
tendees will be presented with ideas on how to
tackle pre-conceived ideas; what information to
provide and how to deliver this information; how
to listen to the patient and his partner, as well as
how to create a positive environment in which
both parties can feel at ease discussing issues
of sexuality and urinary incontinence.
European Sexual Awareness Event of 2014
Every year, when it comes to choose the topic
for the European Sexual Awareness Event, we
encounter the same difficulty:
“How to focus on
a current topic without repeating ourselves!”
This year I believe we conquered this obstacle
by choosing as our 2014 topic:
“The effects
of neurological disorders on sexual health
.
”
When a healthy adult is diagnosed with a neu-
rological disorder such as Parkinson’s disease,
multiple sclerosis (MS), Stroke or Spinal Injuries,
many aspects of his or her physical and mental
well-being are often shaken including sexuality.
Where male patients may experience erectile fail-
ure, premature ejaculation and decreased sexual
desire; female patients may deal with vaginal
tightness, loss of lubrication, involuntary urination,
anxiety and inhibition as well as dissatisfaction
with the quality of their sexual experiences.
Because sexuality plays a significant role in a
healthy lifestyle, worries often surface for the
patient when his or her sexual desires and needs
change. With the onset of the neurological disor-
der, the development of sexual problems may be
frustrating. As ESHA we will underline that there
is hope for the patients and the partners with
in being able to restore sexuality, or to improve
problems that may develop. We will show how in
fact, this condition and its challenges can actu-
ally deepen and strengthen their relationship.
Communication is the Key
Finally, I would like to repeat a definition that I
really like and cherish: According to the World
Association of Sexology Declaration of Sexual
Rights: “Sexuality is an integral part of the per-
sonality of every human being. Its full develop-
ment depends upon the satisfaction of basic hu-
man needs such as desire for contact, intimacy,
emotional expression, pleasure, tenderness and
love…Sexual rights are universal human rights
based on the inherit freedom, dignity, and equal-
ity of all human beings.”
Sexual difficulties have a negative emotional and
behavioral effect on the couple. The research
shows that men and women whose commu-
nication with their partner is absent/limited re-
port negative feelings such as depression and
frustration. The research also shows that, when
couples speak to each other about the problem,
both partners are reassured and treatments are
more likely to be sought. At the end of the day,
the successful treatment is not JUST to help the
patient, but to help the RELATIONSHIP. ESHA plays
an important role as the bridge between the couple
and the physician.
About ESHA
The European Sexual Health Alliance (ESHA) is an
umbrella organization for patient support groups
across Europe. The main role of this patient fo-
cused organization is to assist patients suffering
from sexual dysfunction, inform them about the
solutions available as well as providing awareness
and understanding of the condition to their part-
ners, media and other interested parties. ESHA’s
purpose is to help every couple affected by sexual
dysfunction to communicate openly about their
sexual concerns in order to find a solution that
improves the patient’s sexual function and the
couple’s quality of life.
Secretariat
Avenida de Menendez Pelayo 75
Bajo derecha 3, 28007 Madrid, Spain
Tel: +34 91 501 9513 / Fax: +34 91 501 9668
Email:
France Center:
Société Francophone de Méde-
cine Sexuelle:
German Center:
Informationscentrum für Sexual-
ität und Gesundheit:
Spain Center:
Asociacion Espanola para la Salud
Sexual:
Turkey Center:
Aile Sagligi Arastirma Dernegi:
UK Center:
Sexual Advice Association:
