Definition of endometriosis
Endometriosis is a condition that affects women. It can cause pain in the lower part of the belly and trouble getting pregnant.
Endometriosis occurs when tissue normally found in a woman’s uterus grows outside of the uterus. This tissue, which does not belong outside the uterus, can then break down, bleed, and cause symptoms.
Endometriosis occurs when tissue normally found in a woman’s uterus grows outside of the uterus. This tissue, which does not belong outside the uterus, can then break down, bleed, and cause symptoms.
The symptoms of endometriosis
Some women with endometriosis have no symptoms. But most have pain in the lower part of the belly that can occur:
- Before or during monthly periodsBetween monthly periodsDuring or after sexWhen urinating or having a bowel movement (often during monthly periods)
- Other symptoms of endometriosis can include:
- Trouble getting pregnantGrowths on the ovaries that a doctor can feel during an exam
All of these symptoms can also be caused by conditions that are not endometriosis. But if you have any of these symptoms, tell your doctor or nurse.
Tests for endometriosis
There is no test for endometriosis. But your doctor or nurse might suspect you have it by learning about your symptoms and doing an exam.
The only way to know for sure if you have endometriosis is for a doctor to do surgery and look for endometriosis tissue outside the uterus.
The only way to know for sure if you have endometriosis is for a doctor to do surgery and look for endometriosis tissue outside the uterus.
Endometriosis treatment
Endometriosis can be treated in different ways. The right treatment for you will depend on your symptoms and on whether you want to be able to get pregnant in the future.
Doctors can use medicines to treat endometriosis. These include:
Doctors can use medicines to treat endometriosis. These include:
- Pain medicines
- Birth control medicines.
- Hormones that stop monthly periods.
Some women choose to have surgery to treat endometriosis. Different types of surgery can include:
- Laparoscopy: In this type of surgery, a doctor will make a small cut in the belly and put a tube with a camera inside the body. Then he or she can see and remove endometriosis tissue.
- “Open” surgery to remove large growths: When a woman has large growths of tissue, it is not always possible to remove them through laparoscopy. In such cases, women sometimes have traditional or “open” surgery, which involves a larger cut in the belly.
- Hysterectomy: A hysterectomy is surgery to remove a woman’s uterus. Sometimes, the doctor will also remove the ovaries and tubes that connect the ovaries to the uterus (fallopian tubes) (figure 2). A woman cannot get pregnant after her uterus is removed.
