Understanding Endometriosis: Risks, Symptoms, and Treatments

If you’ve dealt with painful, long or heavy periods, you could be living with endometriosis. Many women are—it affects about 1 in 10. 

“Endometriosis happens when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus—called endometrial tissue— grows outside of the uterus,” says Leanne Bishop, MSN, APRN, CNM, Riverside Women’s Health provider. “This can cause pain, swelling and scar tissue, which may make your life pretty miserable.” 

In addition to causing significant pain, endometriosis can cause other issues. For instance, it’s strongly linked with infertility. Nearly 40% of women who have difficulty conceiving have endometriosis. The condition can also increase your risk of ovarian cancer. 

Endometriosis is a relatively common condition, but it still isn’t well understood. The cause isn’t yet known, and there’s no cure. Still, if you’re living with endometriosis, there are steps you can take to ease symptoms, reduce pain and improve your quality of life. 

Here’s what you need to know.

Risk factors 

There are a few things that can increase your risk of endometriosis, including: 

• A family history of the condition
• Starting your period at an early age (before age 11)
• Short menstrual cycles (less than 27 days)
• Heavy or long periods (lasting more than 7 days)

Signs and symptoms 

Pelvic pain, especially before and during your period, is often a symptom of endometriosis. Some people also experience pain during or after sex, discomfort with bowel movements or urination, or heavy menstrual bleeding. 

What makes endometriosis especially tricky, however, is that the severity of symptoms doesn’t always match the extent of the condition. This means that some people with minor growths have extreme pain, while others with more severe endometriosis may feel only a little discomfort. And some people have no symptoms at all. 

Treatment options 

While there is no cure for endometriosis, several treatments can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life, including: 

• Medication. Doctors often recommend over-the-counter pain medicine or hormone therapy to slow endometrial growth.
• Surgery. A procedure to remove endometrial tissue may help with pain and improve fertility. In extreme cases, a hysterectomy may be considered.
• Lifestyle changes. Managing stress, exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet may help reduce symptoms.

Help is available 

If you have questions about endometriosis, make an appointment with one of our providers by visiting myrhc.net/wmn schedule or calling (815) 935-4651. 

Sources: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; MedlinePlus; National Institutes of Health