Link Between Spinal Cord Injury and Infertility in Men
For decades, doctors have known that most men experience fertility problems after a spinal cord injury, but the underlying cause has remained largely unknown. Now, researchers are working to better understand the biological changes that occur after these injuries in hopes of developing future treatments.
Each year, approximately 18,000 Americans sustain a spinal cord injury, and nearly 80% of those injuries occur in men. While paralysis and loss of mobility are the most visible consequences, infertility is one of the most common long-term complications affecting men of reproductive age.
Although many men with spinal cord injuries continue to produce sperm, studies have shown that sperm quality often declines after the injury. Scientists are investigating why this happens, focusing on changes within the body’s immune and nervous systems rather than sperm production itself.
One area of interest is the blood-testis barrier, a protective structure that shields developing sperm from the body’s immune system. Researchers believe that damage to the spinal cord may disrupt communication between the brain and reproductive organs, weakening this barrier and allowing immune cells to attack healthy sperm. The resulting inflammation may create an environment that damages sperm and reduces fertility.
Scientists compare the spinal cord to the body’s communication highway, transmitting signals that regulate numerous organs and bodily functions. When that communication is interrupted by injury, the effects can extend far beyond movement and sensation, potentially disrupting the normal balance required for reproductive health.
Researchers hope that identifying the biological mechanisms behind fertility loss will eventually lead to new therapies that preserve or restore fertility in men living with spinal cord injuries.
Other Effects of Spinal Cord Injuries
A spinal cord injury can have other life-changing consequences. Some examples include:
- Loss of movement. Paralysis is the most common effect. Depending on the location of the injury, a person may experience paraplegia, quadriplegia, and loss of movement in both the arms and legs.
- Loss of sensation. Spinal cord injuries can interfere with the body’s ability to detect touch, pain, temperature, pressure, and vibration.
- Chronic pain. Many people develop chronic pain after a spinal cord injury. This may include:
- nerve pain, muscle pain, and joint pain.
- Breathing problems. High cervical spinal cord injuries may weaken or paralyze the muscles needed for breathing. Depending on the severity, a person may require supplemental oxygen, mechanical ventilation, or respiratory therapy.
- Bladder and bowel dysfunction. A spinal cord injury often disrupts the nerves that control bladder and bowel function, resulting in urinary incontinence, frequent urinary tract infections, constipation, and loss of bowel control.
Contact Us Today
Spinal cord injuries can be life-changing. The effects can be wide-reaching, affecting many aspects of a person’s life.
Spinal cord injury claims are among the most heavily contested in all of personal injury law. Do not handle one on your own. Get the help you need from a Mt. Juliet spinal cord injury lawyer from The Law Offices of Christopher Eads, PLLC. Spinal cord injuries carry economic damages that often reach into the millions. We can help you get full and fair compensation.
To schedule a consultation, call (615) 622-6060 or fill out the online form.
Source:
stories.tamu.edu/news/2026/07/13/most-men-become-infertile-after-spinal-cord-injury-researchers-are-trying-to-find-out-why/
