The 'painful' condition affecting 1 in 10 women that most people haven't heard of

View 4 Images

For years, countless women have been living with excruciating pain, bloating and fatigue - symptoms too often dismissed as 'just part of being a woman'.

While awareness of endometriosis is finally growing, another painful and under-recognised condition could also be to blame for these symptoms. It's called adenomyosis - and despite affecting as many as one in 10 women, few have ever heard of it.

The condition remains largely overlooked, with many women spending years searching for answers before finally getting a diagnosis.

What is adenomyosis?

Adenomyosis happens when the lining of the womb (the endometrium) grows into the muscular wall of the womb, explains Dr Mahshid Nickkho-Amiry, a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at The Portland Hospital Outpatients.