PETALING JAYA: The average man knows little about his spouse’s health issues.

Such matters do not make it to the list of topics for discussion when the boys get together.

However, Surita Mogan plans to change that, and her focus is on endometriosis, a source of sometimes unbearable physical pain for sufferers.

Endometriosis is a gynaecological condition linked to the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus.

It manifests in pain whenever the sufferer has her menstruation.

“Men may find it hard to understand how the condition can have such a deep impact on a woman’s life. Hence the need to create awareness is crucial,” she told theSun.

Surita is taking her message to men through EndoBrothers, an initiative launched recently by MyEndosis, an association that spreads awareness about endometriosis.

One man who has learned a lot about endometriosis is MixFM radio DJ Rod Monterio.

From the day he first met his wife Joyce, he had seen how she had to suffer through severe cramps during her periods.

“We didn’t know why and everyone we spoke to told us it was normal. Many people didn’t even know about endometriosis back then,” he told theSun.

As time passed, Monterio realise that Joyce’s condition was far from “normal” despite everyone’s assurances.

“She would be rolling on the floor in pain. I thought it was odd that I did not know anyone else who suffered so severely,” he said. It was only after a proper diagnosis that the couple discovered the cause of her pain.

The bad news is that there is no cure, so came the challenge of coping with it together.

“I assured Joyce that she had all my support,” Monterio said.

“The best I can do is to stay by her side. I also realised that when she is stressed out, the pain is more difficult to bear.

“The best way is to give your partner the space and time to de-stress,” he said.

“Show her that when she falls, you are there to pick her up,” he added.

Monterio has also taught his children about the do’s and don’ts to help their mother.

Together, the family also lighten the load for Joyce by giving her a reason to smile and laugh. It helps to ease a stressful situation.

Consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Mohd Faizal Ahmad, who is also an expert in reproductive medicine, said men play an equally important role as women in coping with endometriosis.

“It does not only disrupt the quality of life for women. It also causes problems for couples in areas of intimacy and sex, planning for children, life at work and household income,” he told theSun.

As a result, he said, intimate occasions between couples become a “rare occurrence” or even non-existent in some cases.

This, he said, could have been caused by another condition called dyspareunia. In layman’s term, it is pain during sexual intercourse.

Mohd Faizal said it frequently occurs in women with endometriosis.

“Hence most men say they refrain from having sex with their partners to avoid causing her more pain,” he said.

There is a host of side effects for sufferers of endometriosis.

Apart from dyspareunia, the lowered level of libido caused by medication and general fatigue could combine to reduce sexual activity.

“Psychologically, there is the trauma of getting pregnant and the tendency of sufferers to feel less feminine and unattractive to their partners,” he added.

Mohd Faizal said the best option is for men to work together with their partners to make small lifestyle changes to improve libido levels. “This can be achieved through exercise and lowering of stress levels,” he said.

Dietary changes also help. Fruits and vegetables are protein and collagen-rich and they promote higher libido levels.

Mohd Faizal said almost half of his patients also have issues with fertility but, he added, this can be easily overcome with treatments such as in vitro fertilisation.

Those who want to know more can join MyEndosis on its official Facebook or Instagram page or visit myendosis.org.