You Can Have an Enjoyable Sex Life with MS—Here’s How

Multiple sclerosis (MS) can come with a range of symptoms, such as fatigue, numbness, tingling, spasticity, and walking difficulties. One symptom that often doesn’t get talked about enough? The impact MS can have on a person’s sex life.

When certain nerve pathways are damaged by MS, it can result in problems with sex drive and sexual function. Symptoms like spasticity, fatigue, bladder or bowel issues, and cognitive changes can also affect a person’s sex life. And living with a chronic condition like MS can take an emotional toll, leading to stress and lowered self-esteem, which can play an indirect role in harming intimacy.

If you’re experiencing issues in the bedroom, you’re not alone. Results from a 2016 international study of more than 2,000 people living with MS found that the majority reported at least one issue related to sexual function and expressed a lack of satisfaction with their sex life.