Endometriosis Specialist

What is endometriosis?

Endometriosis describes a condition in which tissue that belongs inside your uterus grows outside on other organs. Endometriosis can appear on areas including:

• Outside of the uterus
• Ovaries
• Fallopian tubes
• Vagina and cervix
• Bowel or rectum
• Bladder

You may also develop endometrial tissue on the tissues that hold the uterus in place.

What are the symptoms of endometriosis?

Endometriosis causes a number of unpleasant symptoms. These include:

• Pain in the lower back and pelvis
• Pain during intercourse or after sex
• Painful bowel movements or pain during urination
• Infertility
• Stomach problems
• Bleeding or spotting between your cycle

You experience these symptoms because the endometrial tissue growing outside your uterus behaves as if it’s still inside your womb. It bleeds and attempts to shed every month, but doesn’t have an easy point of departure. It can block your fallopian tubes, cause ovarian cysts, lead to inflammation, and create scar tissue that results in pelvic pain. It can prevent you from getting pregnant.

How is endometriosis diagnosed?

The team at The Women’s Center reviews your symptoms and looks for evidence of endometrial tissue during a pelvic exam. Imaging tests, such as an ultrasound, can reveal ovarian cysts that suggest endometriosis, too. Laparoscopy, a minimally invasive diagnostic surgery, can reveal endometriosis that’s not otherwise possible to detect.

How is endometriosis treated?

Endometriosis cannot be cured, but the symptoms can be reduced and, in many cases, infertility overcome to have a successful pregnancy.

Medication is often the first course of treatment. If you’re not trying to get pregnant, hormonal birth control, such as the pill, shots, or hormonal IUDs, can ease your periods and reduce pain and excessive bleeding.

If you’re trying to get pregnant, your doctor at The Women’s Center may recommend GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone), which stops your body from making the hormones responsible for ovulation. Essentially, the GnRH puts you into temporary menopause to reduce your endometrial symptoms. You stay on the medication for a short time, and when you stop taking it, your endometrial symptoms may be reduced enough that you can get pregnant.

Surgery is another option, especially when hormones don’t provide relief or infertility persists. Patches of endometrial tissue are located during laparoscopy and removed, hopefully eliminating the cause of your inability to get pregnant.

If you have symptoms of endometriosis, make an appointment with The Women’s Center today by calling or booking online.