In January 2023, Norwegian defender Tuva Hansen signed with FC Bayern from SK Brann. After playing for SK Brann for a season, the girl from Bryne decided it was time for a change and made the big move to Germany. The Norwegian is famously known for her constant smile and upbeat demeanour, but what many don’t realise is that Hansen would often find herself curled up in a ball every month, wracked with agonising pain.
It all started when Hansen was thirteen and had her first period. The pain she experienced was horrible; during her periods she would get so sick that she was throwing up and calling in sick from school and training. She would consume painkillers regularly to manage the nausea and the stabbing pain she would feel every time her period came around. At times it was so bad that she would even lose feelings in her legs. For a long time, Tuva thought that this was what it felt like to have periods, not knowing that she was suffering from a condition that about 10% women suffer from.
When Hansen turned 16, she moved to Bergen to play for Arna-Bjørnar with her sister. The pain she would experience continued when she moved, and a doctor in Bergen recommended she start hormone therapy to manage the pain. The hormone therapy provided relief for a time, but soon it felt as though her body was rejecting any form of help. The pain no longer only came with her periods, but also during ovulation. One doctor suggested trying alternative forms of contraception while continuing painkillers to manage the discomfort. However, this approach proved less effective, and the increasing reliance on painkillers began to worry her mother, who feared her daughter might become addicted.
In her early 20s, Hansen was told that the pain would lessen once she became pregnant, and that everything would be fine after having her first child. She was advised to have children as soon as possible and to have all the kids she wanted before turning 30. However, the information she received was far from accurate. While period pain often subsides during pregnancy, pregnancy is not a cure.
The pain Tuva was experiencing was not normal, and her mother decided to take matters into her own hands by contacting a gynecologist. The gynecologist recommended a hormonal IUD, which brought temporary relief for six months before the pain returned. With the IUD proving ineffective, the gynecologist referred Tuva for a laparoscopy to determine if she had endometriosis. After nine years of uncertainty, it was finally revealed that her chronic pain was caused by the condition.
Once Tuva received her diagnosis, her life changed dramatically. She lost weight, improved her physical condition, and her overall health significantly improved, which had a profound effect on her football career. When she signed with FC Bayern in early 2023, she received even more good news: the team had a specialist in endometriosis, whose sole focus was taking care of players like Tuva.
Women’s health must become a priority in society, and it can no longer be overlooked as it has been for too long. The challenges women face, especially with conditions like endometriosis, deserve the attention and seriousness they need. Hopefully, we can learn valuable lessons from Tuva’s journey, helping to raise awareness and improve care for others experiencing similar struggles.
