Is Endometriosis the Reason For Your Pain?
What is Endometriosis
Endometriosis, pronounced, “end-o-me-tree-o-sis” can affect girls and women of all ages. It is estimated that between 2-10% of American women of childbearing age have endometriosis–~190 million women worldwide. The cause of endometriosis is still unknown. In endometriosis, tissue that looks and acts like tissue lining the inside the uterus (shed monthly as menstruation) is found outside the uterus, usually inside the abdominal cavity. Endometriosis will usually go away after menopause.
Symptoms
No symptoms at all
Pelvic pain (most common in women with symptoms). Pain usually gets worse over time and lasts longer over time. The amount of pain is not always related to the severity of the disease.
- –painful periods
- –chronic pelvic pain
- –pain during and/or after sexual intercourse
- –painful bowel movements
- –painful urination
Fatigue
Depression or anxiety
Abdominal bloating and nausea
Ovarian cysts that can be large and/or persistent
About 20% of women with endometriosis will have problems with fertility
Very rarely endometriosis can be associated with reproductive system cancers
Diagnosis
There is no single diagnostic test for endometriosis. Diagnosis can be made based on
your symptom history
findings at the time of surgery
response to a treatment
Treatment
Hormonal suppression
- –Hormones (pills, patches or rings, progesterone implant)
- –Hormonal IUD
- –Injectable medications Leuprolide acetate
- –Oral hormonal suppressing medication Elagolix (brand name Orlissa)
Acupuncture
Pelvic floor physical therapy
Surgery
Destroy or remove endometriosis implants (usually requires medication afterward for continued treatment)
Hysterectomy with removal of ovaries
Mild symptoms may be treated with over the counter pain medicines as needed
Suspect you have Endometriosis?
What You Can Do
Talking to Your Provider
Keep a symptom journal. This can be key to recognizing the pattern of symptoms
Speak up. Don’t just live with the pain
Learn more
If you have persistent pain contact your health care provider
Questions to Ask
What are the possible reasons for my pain?
How will you tell which one of those is my diagnosis?
What are the pros and cons of surgery to diagnose/treat my symptoms?
What are the pros and cons of medication to diagnose/manage my symptoms?
Can I resolve these symptoms with lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, therapies?)
What are treatment options for my pain?
What to Expect
At your first few visits you can expect to:
review your symptoms in detail including questions like when they first started, when you notice they are present and what makes things feel better or worse
talk about a list of conditions that are known to cause similar complaints
discuss options for ways to know what is causing your symptoms. This could include lab tests, radiology images like ultrasound, surgery or a trial on a medication
hear about making a plan for treating your symptom over time (even if the plan is not started on the same day)
Endometriosis is not the only reasons that women can have pelvic pain. Talking to your physician is important to getting the right diagnosis and treatment.
What is Endometriosis
Endometriosis, pronounced, “end-o-me-tree-o-sis” can affect girls and women of all ages. It is estimated that between 2-10% of American women of childbearing age have endometriosis–~190 million women worldwide. The cause of endometriosis is still unknown. In endometriosis, tissue that looks and acts like tissue lining the inside the uterus (shed monthly as menstruation) is found outside the uterus, usually inside the abdominal cavity. Endometriosis will usually go away after menopause.
Symptoms
No symptoms at all
Pelvic pain (most common in women with symptoms). Pain usually gets worse over time and lasts longer over time. The amount of pain is not always related to the severity of the disease.
- –painful periods
- –chronic pelvic pain
- –pain during and/or after sexual intercourse
- –painful bowel movements
- –painful urination
Fatigue
Depression or anxiety
Abdominal bloating and nausea
Ovarian cysts that can be large and/or persistent
About 20% of women with endometriosis will have problems with fertility
Very rarely endometriosis can be associated with reproductive system cancers
Symptoms
No symptoms at all
Pelvic pain (most common in women with symptoms). Pain usually gets worse over time and lasts longer over time. The amount of pain is not always related to the severity of the disease.
- –painful periods
- –chronic pelvic pain
- –pain during and/or after sexual intercourse
- –painful bowel movements
- –painful urination
Diagnosis
Diagnosis can be made based on
your symptom history
findings at the time of surgery
response to a treatment
Treatment
Hormonal suppression
- –Hormones (pills, patches or rings, progesterone implant)
- –Hormonal IUD
- –Injectable medications Leuprolide acetate
- –Oral hormonal suppressing medication Elagolix (brand name Orlissa)
Acupuncture
Pelvic floor physical therapy
Surgery
Destroy or remove endometriosis implants (usually requires medication afterward for continued treatment)
Hysterectomy with removal of ovaries
Mild symptoms may be treated with over the counter pain medicines as needed
Suspect you have Endometriosis?
What You Can Do
Keep a symptom journal. This can be key to recognizing the pattern of symptoms
Speak up. Don’t just live with the pain
Learn more
If you have persistent pain contact your health care provider
Questions to Ask
What are the possible reasons for my pain?
How will you tell which one of those is my diagnosis?
What are the pros and cons of surgery to diagnose/treat my symptoms?
What are the pros and cons of medication to diagnose/manage my symptoms?
Can I resolve these symptoms with lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, therapies?)
What are treatment options for my pain?
What to Expect
At your first few visits you can expect to:
review your symptoms in detail including questions like when they first started, when you notice they are present and what makes things feel better or worse
talk about a list of conditions that are known to cause similar complaints
discuss options for ways to know what is causing your symptoms. This could include lab tests, radiology images like ultrasound, surgery or a trial on a medication
hear about making a plan for treating your symptom over time (even if the plan is not started on the same day)
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