Pelvic pain isn’t something you should have to live with. If your periods are consistently painful, if intercourse hurts, or if you experience chronic lower abdominal discomfort, endometriosis may be the reason.
Endometriosis affects an estimated 6.5 million American women, but it’s often underdiagnosed. In fact, the American Medical Association estimates that 60% of cases remain undiagnosed. Many women are told their pain is normal, but it isn’t.
Our team at OBGYN Westside, PLLC, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, encourages you to speak up if you have pelvic pain. Even if it’s not related to endometriosis, we want to help you find relief.
Read on to learn more about endometriosis and the signs that your pelvic pain may be related to this condition.
Endometriosis is a painful condition that develops when tissue that resembles the lining of your uterus grows outside your uterus. This tissue may attach to your ovaries, fallopian tubes, bladder, bowel, or pelvic lining.
Throughout your menstrual cycle, these endometrial lesions respond to hormonal changes. This means it thickens and breaks down each month just like your normal uterine lining tissue. However, problems occur because, unlike normal menstrual tissue, it has nowhere to go, leading to inflammation, swelling, scar tissue, and pain.
Endometriosis pain varies from woman to woman, but it’s often described as:
Some women also experience heavy periods, irregular bleeding, or infertility. Because of the gut-brain axis, they may also experience IBS symptoms and even brain fog.
Regardless of which symptoms you experience, pain that interferes with work, school, relationships, or daily activities isn’t just bad cramps. It’s a reason to seek evaluation at OBGYN Westside.
Endometriosis doesn’t always show up clearly on imaging. Ultrasounds can appear normal. Symptoms can overlap with other conditions like fibroids, ovarian cysts, pelvic inflammatory disease, or irritable bowel syndrome. Because of this, endometriosis is sometimes referred to as the missed disease.
To make matters worse, it can take years to receive a diagnosis if symptoms are dismissed. In fact, it takes an average of 4-11 years for most women to receive a diagnosis.
We don’t want you to wait for years! We review your medical history, perform a thorough physical exam, and talk with you about your symptoms and how they’re affecting you. In some cases, minimally invasive surgery is required to confirm the diagnosis.
If endometriosis is the source of your pelvic pain, our team walks you through your options. Treatment for endometriosis can depend on where the lesions are located, whether or not you’re trying to conceive, and the severity of your symptoms.
Your treatment options may include:
If your exam and diagnostic testing reveal that endometriosis isn’t the source of your pelvic pain, you’re still not out of luck. If, for example, fibroids are causing pain, we’ll walk you through your fibroid treatment options.
Persistent pelvic pain deserves answers. If you suspect endometriosis may be the cause, schedule a consultation with our expert team. You’re one click or phone call away from an evaluation that can help determine what’s behind your symptoms and what steps will bring you relief.
