Who gets RA and how does it affect your sex life?
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an auto-immune disease that can strike anyone at any time in their lives. This disease stimulates inflammation in the lining of the joints and can eventually cause deterioration of the bone and cartilage. RA can cause pain, stiffness, fatigue and restricted movement – all of which can put a serious dampener on your sex life.

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Despite medication to control this disease, there may be days when sexual or physical activity will be difficult. A study also showed that 50% of women experienced less desire for sex after the onset of RA, largely because their disease made it difficult for them to assume familiar intercourse positions and because they feared increased joint pain the following day.

Mary Ann Baker-Holmes, a certified sex therapist, encourages people who suffer from RA to look at new possibilities for becoming intimate with your partner, even if it means changing sexual habits – never an easy task. But the alternative of having no sex, is even more difficult.

Trying new positions
Baker-Holmes suggests a few alternative positions for couples where one or both struggle with arthritis. Firstly, the woman leans her entire upper body over a chair, and kneels on a pillow on the floor. Her partner enters her from behind. Secondly, it is a lot less painful if both partners stand, with the woman leaning against a wall or on a piece of furniture.

Sex therapist Dennis Sugrue suggests that couples make love after the RA sufferer has taken their pain medication, during that time when pain is minimized. This might not sound very romantic and would require a fair amount of planning, but it is preferable to the alternative of no sex life at all. He stresses the fact that RA sufferers need to remember that their bodies are also vehicles for pleasure and not just for pain. Furthermore, orgasm releases feel-good endorphins that may temporarily relieve arthritis pain. All the more reason not to let RA put an end to your sex life.

Post a question to our sexologist.

Arthritis Centre
 

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