JOY FEELINGS MAGAZINE December 2015 | Page 211

When a woman has endometriosis, the endometrium grows outside the uterus. It can attach to other organs and the inside of the abdomen. This can be extremely painful. Symptoms of endometriosis include:  severe menstrual pain  pain during sex  pain during bowel movements  heavy bleeding  bleeding between periods Pain from endometriosis can often be helped with treatment. Treatment depends on whether you want to have children. Options include:  pain medication  hormone therapy  surgery to remove the excess tissue  hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) Fibroids Fibroids are noncancerous tumors of the uterus. According to the Mayo Clinic, up to 75 percent of women have fibroids. However, most women will never need treatment. Fibroids are not necessarily painful or problematic. They do not increase your risk of cancer. Large fibroids may affect your ability to have children. Fibroids can affect your sex life if they cause:  pelvic pain  pain during sex  problems with menstrual bleeding. If treatment is necessary, several options are available. They will not necessarily affect your ability to have children. Part 4 of 6: Sexual Dysfunction Find a Way to Enjoy Sex Female sexual dysfunction is common. Many women have JOY FEELINGS | DECEMBER ISSUE 211