Adenomyosis And Sex
Adenomyosis is a condition that causes a woman’s uterus to thicken. This occurs when cells that normally grow on the inside lining of the uterus penetrate into the adjacent muscular layer of the uterus and begin growing irregularly within the uterine wall.
There is no known cause of adenomyosis which is the “sister” condition to endometriosis and both are caused by the same type of rogue cells. Endometriosis occurs when the lining cells grow outside of the uterus. Therefore, one can think of adenomyosis as endometriosis of the uterus.
Adenomyosis causes painful symptoms for approximately 70% of the women who are diagnosed with the condition. Some of these symptoms can put a damper on your sex life!
FAQs About Adenomyosis And Your Sex Life
1. Does Sex Hurt With Adenomyosis?
There is a definite connection between adenomyosis and painful sex. At least 10% of women with adenomyosis experience pain during intercourse (dyspareunia) and many others experience chronic abdominal pain and ongoing discomfort.
The pain may be related to the location of the adenomyosis tissue or how thick the condition has made the uterus.
Some women have described the pain as sharp and stabbing, while others say the pain is mild or feels like a deep ache. Many women reported that any penetration is painful and for others, only deep penetration hurts. Chances are, if you have advanced adenomyosis, sex will be uncomfortable.
2. Can Adenomyosis Cause Bleeding After Intercourse?
One of the most common symptoms of adenomyosis is prolonged and irregular heavy bleeding. Many women bleed for extended times or between their periods, or at random intervals when they have adenomyosis. Adenomyosis also causes an enlarged uterus which can be up to three times the size of a normal uterus. Often an enlarged uterus can become irritated during sexual intercourse and may begin to bleed. Many women report that they bleed after sex with adenomyosis; similar to that seen with fibroids.
3. Does Adenomyosis Cause Cramping After Sex?
Adenomyosis can cause the uterus to expand in size as well as chronic abdominal pain and pressure. When you have adenomyosis pain after sex is possible. The pain may present during intercourse or linger after sex in the form of cramping or a widespread ache (i.e. post-coital ache).
4. What Can Make Adenomyosis Worse?
While we do not know what causes adenomyosis, we do know that it responds to estrogen. Excess estrogen will make adenomyosis worse so limiting your exposure may help keep it from rapidly progressing. Sources of excess estrogen are found all around us so familiarizing yourself with how to avoid them may be beneficial if you are trying to avoid making your adenomyosis worse.
If you are suffering and would like to find relief from adenomyosis symptoms including painful sex, contact the Atlanta Fibroid Center today.
Uterine artery embolization (UAE) is an outpatient, non-surgical procedure that may be able to eliminate the painful sex and other accompanying symptoms of adenomyosis.
