WHAT IS ENDOMETRIOSIS

Endometriosis is tissue similar, but not identical, to the lining of the uterus that is found elsewhere in the body.

This inflammatory disease creates lesions that become inflamed and irritated, resulting in pain, scar tissue formation, and organ dysfunction. Even though it is most commonly found in the pelvis, other possible locations include but are not limited to: the bladder, bowels, appendix, diaphragm, lungs, and kidneys.

Signs & Symptoms

Everyone with endometriosis experiences symptoms differently. Symptoms range along a spectrum including (but not limited to): “killer cramps” too heavy or irregular periods, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and or constipation, pain with urinating, pain during sex, fatigue, brain fog, and infertility. Some may experience all of these symptoms on a chronic or cyclical basis, while others may experience no symptoms at all. This colorful symptom profile is one of the factors that makes endometriosis difficult to diagnose.

Endopaedia Symptoms

Diagnosis

A diagnosis of endometriosis cannot be confirmed by CT scans, MRIs, or ultrasounds. The abnormal cells need to be collected via biopsy, during a surgical procedure called a laparoscopy. While symptoms can give doctors a suspicion of endometriosis, relying on symptoms alone may lead to misdiagnosis and improper treatment. If you suffer from any of the symptoms previously mentioned, book an appointment to speak to your doctor or a specialist. Preparing for that appointment is vital.

Endopaedia Diagnosis

Treatment

Though hormonal treatments are highly regarded as an acceptable treatment of the disease itself, in actuality, it only treats the symptoms. Excision surgery with an endometriosis specialist is considered the gold standard for effectively treating Endometriosis lesions. Most surgeons perform a less successful technique, ablation, that simply burns away the top of the disease, leaving the root behind. Though endometriosis does not have a cure, many who have undergone expert excision surgery have seen long-term relief in symptoms.

Excision of Endometriosis

Be Your Own Advocate

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
Are You 1 in 10?

ENDOMETRIOSIS SUPPORT GROUP

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Unfortunately, no one truly knows. There are a few proposed theories that include stem cells, genetics, immunologic dysfunction, and environmental toxins. More research is needed to confirm the true cause(s) of endometriosis.
Endometriosis largely affects those of reproductive age, but the disease can also be found in those who have not yet started menstruation, teens, and after menopause.
To date, endometriosis has been found on every organ in the body. Some common locations where endometriosis is found within the pelvis include the rectovaginal cul de sac, peritoneum, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. However, endometriosis is also often commonly found in areas outside of the pelvis such as the bowels, bladder, diaphragm, and lungs.
There is no gold standard staging system for endometriosis, but the most widely adopted is the revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine (rASRM) classification system. The weighted value system is scored and summed according to the size of the endometriotic lesions in the ovaries, peritoneum, and fallopian tubes, and the severity of adhesion at each of the aforementioned sites. The system assigns a stage of 1 through 4, with 1 being minimal and 4 being severe. This staging system is globally adopted, but its disadvantages are that it does not factor in extra-pelvic lesions and it does not consider the patient’s symptoms. Therefore, the stage of disease does not directly correlate to the degree of symptoms that a patient experiences.
Endometriosis is a top cause of infertility. Infertile women are 6 to 8 times more likely to have endometriosis than fertile women.
There is currently no cure for endometriosis. Though treatments such as hysterectomy, birth control, Lupron, Orlissa, and pregnancy may be presented as curative, none of these options can cure the disease itself.
Because endometriosis is a systemic, full-body disease, your care time should consist of a multidisciplinary team. This includes but is not limited to an excision specialist/OBGYN who is an expert in endometriosis treatment and care, primary care physician, physical therapy, nutritionist, mental health therapist, pain management, and in some cases a gastroenterologist, urologist, or pulmonologist.