Living with severe endometriosis made it difficult for Annabelle Baugh, who uses they/them pronouns, to feel pleasure during sex. Afterwards, they felt nausea, bloating, tiredness and pain.
It wasn’t until Baugh turned 43 that they learned they were at high risk for ovarian cancer. After undergoing a hysterectomy and hormone replacement therapy (HRT), they experienced their first orgasm and now lead an active and healthy sex life.
It is not normal for people to experience pain during sexual intercourse or penetration. Still, About 3 in 4 people are assigned female at birth. reporting experiencing painful sexual intercourse, called dyspareunia. Experiencing pain during sex is not only uncomfortable, it affects your pleasure.
For people with female anatomy, painful intercourse may indicate an underlying condition that needs to be addressed. One group of medical conditions known to cause painful sex are chronic gynecological conditions, such as endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
But even if you suffer from a gynecological condition, you don’t have to endure painful sex. Open treatment and communication with your partner can lead to better experiences.
Read: Questions and Answers: A Patient’s Perspective on Uterine Health Conditions >>
Here’s a look at chronic uterine conditions and how they can influence your sex life.
What are chronic uterine diseases?
Chronic uterine conditions, also called uterine diseases, are any Conditions that affect your uterus.. And they can be caused by hormonal imbalances, thyroid problems, polyps, cancer, infection or pregnancy.
“There are multiple uterine conditions that affect women,” said Barb DePree, MD, MSCP, OB-GYN and member of HealthyWomen’s Women’s Health Advisory Council. She mentioned that the most common uterine conditions include uterine fibroids, adenomyosis, pelvic organ prolapse, and pelvic inflammatory disease.
These conditions can be treated with birth control pills, GnRH antagonists, pain relievers, or, in some cases, surgery.
Chronic Uterine Conditions Can Affect Your Life
A common complaint that people with chronic uterine conditions have is persistent pelvic pain that lasts six months or longer.
Symptoms of chronic pelvic pain include:
- Intense and constant pain.
- Pain that comes and goes
- dull pains
- Sharp pains or cramps.
- Pressure or heaviness in the pelvis.
This pain may occur during sexual intercourse or penetration, when urinating or defecating, or when standing for long periods.
Read: 11 things that heaviness in the pelvic area could mean >>
How do chronic uterine diseases affect your sex life?
Experiencing pain during sex can prevent you from experiencing sexual pleasure. And that, in turn, can also contribute to having a low sex drive. The burden of dealing with the physical symptoms of uterine conditions can also cause mental health problems such as depression and fatigue, which can also affect your desire to have sex.
According to DePree, the way you view your condition also plays a big role in how you approach sex. “Some women don’t let that interfere with their enjoyment of intimacy, and [for] For other women, it could be a distraction or a difficulty for them,” she said.
How can couples overcome possible pain and bleeding?
You shouldn’t have to deal with painful sex or bleeding without your partner’s help. Communication is important for having great sexual experiences if you are managing a chronic uterine condition.
DePree recommended expressing your sexual desires before or during sex. “[You can do this by] “Not relying on your partner to read your mind to determine what works and what doesn’t, but talking to him about it,” he explained.
It’s completely understandable if the thought of starting this conversation makes you uncomfortable, and that’s okay. It can be stressful to talk about the discomfort you experience during sex, and you may not want your partner to think that they are causing you pain.
When talking to your partner, you can mention your doctor’s appointment to ease their nerves and start the conversation. DePree said she tells her patients to take advantage of her appointments to express her concerns about painful sexual intercourse. “Sometimes it’s easier to have a third party suggest you have that conversation,” DePree said.
There are also some things you and your partner can try to help manage pain during sex:
- Try different ways to be intimate: Explore ways to be intimate that don’t include penetration, be creative with your touching, and experiment to see if different positions are less painful.
- Use lubricant: You can use over-the-counter lubricant to relieve pain and increase sexual comfort by reducing friction during any type of penetration. Lubricants come in gel and liquid form.
- Try penis guards: Avoid deep penetration with penis guards. Bumpers allow the penetrating partner to thrust without the receiving partner perceiving or experiencing that the thrust is as deep.
How to manage bleeding during sex
It is important to keep in mind that uterine conditions can cause not only pain during sexual intercourse but also bleeding.
Abnormal uterine bleeding It can last for several days and may affect your desire or pleasure during sexual activity. Unfortunately, due to the stigma surrounding vaginal bleeding, the sight of blood may be unpleasant or cause concern for you or your partner.
But the good news is that talking about your condition and its symptoms can better prepare your partner in case bleeding occurs, so that it doesn’t negatively affect your sexual experiences.
DePree noted that sex is only one part of a relationship, so it’s important to have healthy conversations about physical intimacy. “Good communication around sex translates into being a better communicator about many other things,” DePree added.
The physical and mental effects of living with a chronic uterine condition can have a crippling effect on your sex life. But fortunately, treatment and strong communication between partners can help warm things up.
This educational resource was created with the support of Sumitomo Pharma.
From the articles on your site
Related articles on the Web
