Autonomic dysreflexia is a potentially serious rise in blood pressure that can occur in people with a spinal cord injury at or above the T6 level, triggered by stimulation below the level of injury, including sexual activity. Warning signs can include a pounding headache, flushing, and sweating. Anyone at risk should discuss prevention and management with their healthcare provider.

Adaptive intimacy is the practice of adjusting how you approach closeness, touch, and sexual activity so it stays comfortable and pleasurable when your body changes due to illness, injury, disability, aging, or medical treatment. It focuses on finding what works for your body now rather than returning to how things were before.

Neuropathy is damage to peripheral nerves that can cause numbness, tingling, pain, or reduced sensation, often in the hands, feet, or genital area. Because it can change how touch is experienced, it may call for adjusting the type or intensity of stimulation.