DO I HAVE BOWEL DISORDER ?

Let us, first of all, get one thing straight: visit your doctor to find out if you have a bowel disorder.

Then let us get the anatomy right. The stomach sits at the bottom of the sternum.  The intestine sits under the stomach. Behind the navel is the small intestine and in a wreath, round sits the colon. When people have gastrointestinal pain, the source of the discomfort will be lower in the abdomen, sometimes even in the pelvic region.

SYMPTOMS OF BOWEL DISORDER

Following symptoms might appear in case of problems with the bowel:

An abnormal bowel. You might experience diarrhoea, constipation, sharp stomach pains, or cramps. The pain can be acute or chronic. Upset stomach or intestines might come in stressful situations if you have eaten certain foods, or it may seem like it has a mind of its own. Tensing muscles might result in muscle knots or too tight muscles inflicting pain and sexual pain. 

Sexual pain. Since the vagina and the bowel are closely positioned, deep penetration or penetration angled to the back side of the vagina can release pain. When the gut is inflamed, irritated, or constipated, a knock on its walls can really hurt. Old inflammations can cause scar tissue that can cause sexual pain. 

Skin complications, including itching, redness, sores, rashes, and tenderness, especially in the genital and anal area, can make sex painful and uncomfortable.

Psychological issues, such as anxiety, stress, depression can affect the bowel. The body’s resources are not wasted on absorption and digestion in these crises. The intestine stops working, which can significantly impact the digestion system. Nutrition is not absorbed correctly. You might feel very tired even too tired to feel sexual. 

Increased pain sensation can emerge. The bowel/pelvic/genital area is particularly sensitive to pressure and pain.

A bowel disorder can worsen painful periods (dysmenorrhea) and excessive pre-menstrual cramping.

Decreased sex drive is typical, especially with women with bowel disorders.

EMOTIONAL REACTIONS

It is normal to react emotionally to having these disorders. The bowel system and brain are always online, testing if the system is working. When the system is not working, it requires a lot of energy and can lead to fatigue and other emotional reactions.

Factors related to sexual activity:

Anger: Some people can get upset when it comes to their diagnosis of bowel disease and having to live with it. Do your best not to let the disorder take control of your life.

Frustration: It takes a lot of energy when the primary organ functions poorly. You might have concerns about how your life will change because of your disease.  It is taxing being scared of how you will be able to cope with your diagnosis when it comes to flare-ups, partner interactions, medication side effects, and personal hygiene.  Preparation for all possible outcomes is a way to combat this.

Retainment: Some people get a great deal of relief from getting a name for their disorder, a box to put it all in.  Other times, it keeps people from resuming their normal activities.  It is essential to consider in what ways you allow your issues to influence your life.  That also means thinking through worst case scenarios, and how to best work with that.

Resentment: Feeling the desire to hate your body for your bowel disorder has been seen before.  Symptoms can mess up a normal life for many people.  Find others in the same situation as you and talk it through.

TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR

Your practitioner is the first step to get a diagnosis. Having bowel disorders is something you have to take seriously. Before going to your appointment, write down an overview of your symptoms. Explain the nature of your symptoms and what you think triggers them. Find inspiration Vulva&Vaginal Profile, Seeing the Doctor

If you are sexually active and feel pain during intercourse, please mention that and how and where it hurts. It makes a difference whether you experience pain at the entrance of the vagina or have pain during deep penetration. If you feel pain at deep penetration, it could be that you have an irritable bowel, it could be an ovarian cyst causing the trouble, or it could be something entirely different.

An independent bowel can influence the muscle tone in your pelvic floor. If you are frequently constipated, it puts extra weight on the pelvic floor muscles, and you might get a lax pelvic floor. On the contrary, if you are continually flexing your pelvic muscles because you’re worried about gas or waste your muscles get tense and bothersome. Both conditions can lead to muscle infiltrations. Please discuss your muscle tone and use with your doctor.

When Love Hurts does not serve as a source of bowel disorder diagnosis information, but rather how to cope with your symptoms and side effects as they relate to your sex life. Always consult your doctor. Find inspiration in Manage

Read more on Sex and Bowel Problems.