BBC presenter Naga Munchetty has spoken out about a debilitating condition she has, which leaves her in agonising pain.
The 48-year-old TV star was diagnosed with adenomyosis eight months ago and confessed that until then she’d never heard of the condition.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 this week, Naga said: ‘Right now as I sit here talking to you, I am in pain. Constant, nagging pain.
‘In my uterus, around my pelvis – sometimes it runs down my thighs. And I’ll have some level of pain for the entire show and for the rest of the day until I go to sleep.
‘Every so often the pain changes; it becomes a stabbing pain. A pain that takes my breath away and I can do nothing but sit with it for a minute or curl up to cope.’
Like Naga, many of us might be unaware of adenomyosis but it’s more common than we think, with one study saying one in five women have the condition.
So what exactly is adenomyosis and can it be cured?
What is adenomyosis?
According to the NHS, adenomyosis is a condition that causes the lining of the womb (the endometrium) to bury into the muscular wall of the womb.
It can affect the whole womb or just one part of the womb.
It’s not known exactly why adenomyosis happens, it is not an infection and it’s not contagious. It is benign (not cancerous).
Adenomyosis is not a life-threatening condition, but the symptoms can have a big impact on your day-to-day life so it’s important to get the support you need.
Symptoms of adenomyosis
It’s possible to have adenomyosis and have no symptoms. Symptoms you might experience include:
- heavy periods that last for a long time
- severe period pain
- a feeling of pressure in your tummy
- bloating (your tummy sticks out more than normal)
Can you be treated for adenomyosis?
According to the NHS, depending on your symptoms, there are different options to treat adenomyosis, including:
- anti-inflammatory medication to help relieve mild pain.
- treatment during your period to help reduce the amount of menstrual blood loss.
- hormone therapy such as the contraceptive pill, to help control heavy or painful periods.
- a hysterectomy (removal of the womb) – this would only be considered in extreme cases, where other treatments do not work and if you do not wish to become pregnant.
What has Naga Munchetty said about adenomyosis?
Speaking on BBC Radio 5, Naga said: ‘I’m in pain because I have something called adenomyosis. You probably haven’t heard of it, I hadn’t either until I was told eight months ago that I have it.’
The veteran journalist added: ‘After decades of painful, heavy periods. Periods that made me pass out, sweat, cry, moan, groan, curled up in a tight ball, having to sleep on a towel.
‘I’d set myself an alarm every three hours at night to make sure I changed my tampon.’
Naga concluded: ‘A lifetime of being told, “you’re just unlucky, it’s just one of those things. And I am just one of many, many more women.’
A clip from the show was shared on social media where viewers and listeners lauded the presenter for raising awareness of the condition.
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