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Here ' s The Truth About Endometriosis And Sex
Written by Isabelle Salami
One in ten women of reproductive age in the UK suffer from a chronic condition called endometriosis- it is often referred to as the“ silent epidemic.”
Endometriosis( or“ endo” for short) is a longterm condition where tissues, similar to those found in the lining of the womb, are found elsewhere in the body. These tissues build up and break down each month, resulting in bleeding.
Besides causing heavy or irregular periods, pelvic pain, nausea and constipation, endometriosis can have a huge impact on your sex life, often ruling out the option of sex for many women.
According to statistics by UK led charity Endometriosis UK, two out of three women with the condition experience severe pain during or after sex( dyspareunia), alongside painful orgasms( dysorgasmia) which sometimes prevents them from having penetrative sex altogether.
Josephine Martin, a midwifery student, 19, was diagnosed with Thoracic Endometriosis, a rare form of the condition where the endometrial tissues build and around the lungs, at the age of 16 after undergoing a transvaginal ultrasound.
Photo Credit: Freepik
Thoracic endometriosis is often coupled with asthma, a lung condition which Martin also suffers from:“ I struggle with really bad chest pains in the week leading up to my menstrual cycle, and the week of my cycle. I get really bad heartburn and have trouble breathing too.”
Martin admits there are occasions where she avoids sex altogether due to both severe pelvic cramps and a lowered libido as a result of the medication she is currently using to relieve her endo symptoms.
“ Sometimes I couldn’ t even get out of bed. I physically felt like I had been shot.”
“ I used to have quite a high sex drive, but now it’ s much lower. I don’ t know whether this is psychological because of the fear of pain, but my libido is definitely lower.”
“ I would get a stabbing pain all around my stomach. Sometimes I couldn ' t even get out of bed. I physically felt like I had been shot," Martin describes.
The midwifery student says that during sex, she will avoid sexual positions where“ deep
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