Endometriosis Cramping Your Sex Life? - Sexynews #25

Sex is supposed to be a fun and pleasurable experience but for some women who suffer from endometriosis, the mere mention of sex invokes fear of pain and discomfort. Given that this week is endometriosis awareness week, this is an ideal time to discuss dyspareunia and the measures that can be taken to reduce pain and discomfort during sex.

What is endometriosis?

It's a condition that about 1 in 10 women suffer from, where the cells that normally line the womb begin to grow outside the womb and on other local organs. With nowhere for this excess tissue to go, women experience pain, swelling and eventually this leads to internal scarring. Endometriosis can cause many other issues including back pain and issues with fertility.

Dyspareunia:  

Dyspareunia, or pain during sex, is caused by the stretching and pulling of endometrial implants located behind the vagina and lower uterus. Dyspareunia has also been connected with more negative attitudes towards sexuality as a whole. While the discomfort of endometriosis can be ongoing, there are things that can be done to help ease the pain and anxiety of intercourse by using foreplay, mutual masturbation, kegel toys, dilators, pelvic therapy, lubricants, timing and experimenting with different sex positions. Electro-stimulating products such as the Electro Sex Shock Therapy Kit or the Intimate e-Stimulator Remote Kegel Exerciser can also help to alleviate pain.

Sexual Positions: 

For most women with endometriosis, the missionary position and other positions with deeper penetration can be especially painful. It is important that you find the right rhythm and technique and be sure to talk to your partners about going slower and not thrusting as deep.  While some positions can be helpful in reducing the pain, they can lack the intimacy that comes with that position.  But there are other positions that are just as intimate and give you the perfect reason to experiment with positions that are pleasurable without the discomfort.

• Sideways / Face-to-Face: Laying on your sides facing your partner and penetrating from the front or spooning, penetration from behind. 
• Modified Doggy Style: Normal doggy style involves deep penetration, but doing modified doggy allows that g spot stimulation without the pain and discomfort. Lay on your stomach, ask your partner to lay on top of you and penetrate from behind. This position allows lots of skin to skin contact and shallower penetration. The Saffron Love Strap helps relieve the pressure on the knees while allowing you to enjoy this position.
• Reverse Cowgirl:  This gives you full control of the penetration and depth and movements.
• Missionary with raised hips to reduce pressure on your pelvic area. 
• 69 Oral Sex: The 69 oral sex is pain free due to the lack of penetration but with the right technique, it can be just as orgasmic as penetrative sex. 

Benefits of Lubricant:  

Using Personal Lubricants can help to reduce pain and discomfort during sex. Some women with endometriosis use hormone therapy or surgery which can cause vaginal dryness which can make sex uncomfortable. Using a lubricant before sexual activity can help with burning, itching and chafing. A water-based or silicone based vaginal lubricant such as the Bio Xtreme Superglide Waterbased Lubricant can help ease the discomfort and make sex more pleasurable.

Alternatives to Intercourse: 

Sex doesn't always have to mean intercourse. Using other forms of intimacy can be just as fun and sensual without triggering pain and other symptoms. A sexy massage done right is the perfect way to stimulate the erogenous zones. A sensual massage oil will take the experience past the usual foot rub. The Cosmopolitan Kissable Massage Oil will ignite all senses and help lead to that sexy ending.

Try sensual kissing, oral sex, mutual masturbation and explore shallow penetration and clitoral stimulation sex toys. The Pretty Love Broderick Vibrator is an ideal choice for women with endometriosis. It gives a shallower penetration and has a sleek and stylish design with a very flexible shaft and a smaller curved clitoral stimulator complete with 12 functions of vibration. Bullets & Eggs are also excellent options as they provide direct stimulation to her external bits.

Vaginal Dilators:  

The use of Dilators (vaginal trainers) can be helpful to restore depth, width and elasticity to allow sexual activity, the use of tampons, medical exams or other needs. It is important to maintain a consistent routine to help decrease pain with vaginal penetration. Vaginal dilators can also help you warm up to sex when you’re feeling apprehensive or if you need to prepare your muscles and tissues. 

For constant vaginal training, the She-ology 5-piece Wearable Vaginal Dilator Set is perfect for when you’re on the go.The uniquely designed 5-piece dilator kit is ergonomically curved and gradually sized to allow for gentle dilation. First time and experienced users may find that the Dr. Laura Berman Dilator Set is perfect for training the pelvic floor and vaginal muscles. We have a range of Dilators that will be suitable for your needs.

Kegel Exercises:  

Women with endometriosis often have a tight and rigid pelvic floor and can benefit greatly from implementing kegel exercises into her self-care routine. It helps to do exercises that can relax the muscles while restoring strength to them simultaneously. By working out your pelvic floor muscles, she loosens the ligaments and muscles which helps with pain management. The Strawberry Kegel Training Kit allows you to train your pelvic floor muscles gradually with weighted exercisers.

Boost Your Libido: 

Living in pain can seriously diminish your desire to do much of anything, let alone have sex. Sometimes, all it takes is a bit of a nudge to get you into the mood. The rest is up to you and the techniques you use to make it as pleasurable as possible, given the circumstances. We recommend browsing our Female Sexual Enhancers for something to help boost her libido. The ON For Her Arousal Gel will dramatically heighten a woman's arousal, and most women will feel as though they are lubricating more which adds to the pleasure sensations.

Communication is Key:  

Living with endometriosis can be debilitating so it is important that your partner understands your symptoms and how it affects you physically and emotionally. Ease into intimacy slowly while making time for foreplay.

Many women find that dyspareunia caused by endometriosis can vary pending on the time of their cycle. Sex just before ovulation and before and during their period can be particularly painful. Timing intercourse with your partner around your cycle may help lessen discomfort. Implementing Vibrating Wands can also help as her partner can use these to help stimulate her when intercourse isn't possible.