Endometriosis is the growth of the lining of the uterus outside the uterus. It’s not clear what triggers this. It causes chronic pain that usually gets worse during your period, period pain that may affect your daily activities, pain during and/or after sex, painful bowel movements, pain on passing urine and blood in urine.
Some women may not have any symptoms. In the UK it takes on average 7.5yrs from the onset of symptoms to diagnosis. Why? It’s because the symptoms of endometriosis are shared with other conditions (for example, pelvic inflammatory disease). Symptoms may also be attributed to a bad case of period cramps. It is important to have a thorough assessment if you have pelvic pain. Majority of women would have gone through at least one intimate examination, and investigations, including a scan. However, with endometriosis, investigations can be normal, and scans may pick up other non-related issues. Some women may have received treatment for pelvic inflammatory disease but re-present with persistent pain.
The gold standard investigation for endometriosis is a LAPAROSCOPY. This is a surgical procedure where a small telescope is inserted inside the abdomen through the belly button. The thought of surgery can be a barrier for some women which can contribute to a delay in making the diagnosis. if a full laparoscopy is normal, you are unlikely to have endometriosis and other causes and investigations may need to be considered.
Please speak to us or to your doctor if you have one or more of the above symptoms.
