While no two romantic partnerships will necessarily function the same, many couples do find sexual intimacy to be an integral element in maintaining their overall relationship.
For some women, however, a lack of libido may interrupt both their physical and emotional comfort come time to initiate such intimacy — and uterine fibroids just may be the underlying cause.
Here’s what to keep in mind if sexual health has come back into focus for you:
Why Fibroids May Mean A Failing Libido
Growing on and around the uterus, uterine fibroids have the ability to impact a woman’s ability to function in a number of ways, their sex life included.
For example, uterine fibroids are reportedly influenced by the presence of certain hormones in a woman’s body — namely estrogen and progesterone — meaning, should there be an imbalance of those hormones, their libido may be impacted as well.
“The fluctuation of hormones that occurs with fibroids can trigger a number of different symptoms to occur, one of them being low-libido. Low-libido can significantly decrease your sexual desire,” according to Fibroid Fighters. “When fibroids and sex are combined, some women with find themselves avoiding any sexual activity for years.”
Anemia may also play a role in terms of libido and energy, as increased blood loss during menstruation may enhance a woman’s physical fatigue, thereby curbing her desire to exert herself with a partner.
The Primary Culprit That Is Pelvic Pain
Hormones and fatigue aside, there is one symptom of uterine fibroids that causes a major disruption to a woman’s sex life: pain.
Specifically, the presence of large fibroids may trigger deep dyspareunia in some women, or pain that occurs deep within the vagina during intercourse.
One study has shed light on this particular obstacle:
“The 827 women in the study group ranged in age from 35 to 49. Sixty-three percent of them had fibroids,” as explained by the International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM). “Among the women with fibroids, about 22% said they had experienced deep dyspareunia during the previous year.”
Deep dyspareunia is reportedly more common in women whose fibroids are located in the upper uterine region, as well as in women who have delivered children or have been diagnosed with other pelvic-related conditions.
In-Depth Pain, Minimally-Invasive Solutions
Between pain, sexual disconnection, and an altogether sustained sense of discomfort, it may feel as though you’re slowly sinking into a long-term life governed by your fibroids.
Luckily, uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) offers a long-term, FDA-approved, and minimally-invasive solution.
“Women who underwent a nonsurgical, image-guided treatment, uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), for the treatment of uterine fibroids experienced improved sexual function and a higher overall quality of life,” a 2016 study conducted by the Society of Interventional Radiology concluded. “The research, part of a French multicenter study, presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology’s Annual Scientific Meeting, also found the vast majority of women treated with UFE sustained improvement for more than a year.”
Capable of being completed in one short outpatient visit, UFE has restored women’s comfort all across the nation without the necessity of surgery. If you’re ready to learn more about how UFE may help to stop fibroids from cramping your style, contact our team today by calling 904-423-6017!
