Endometriosis Specialist

What is endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a painful condition that happens when your endometrium, which is the tissue that lines your uterus and grows not only inside your uterus, but also outside the uterus in other areas of your pelvis.

During your menstrual cycle, the endometrium growing outside your uterus, like the endometrium growing inside your uterus, thickens and then breaks apart and bleeds. Unlike regular endometrium, though, the outer endometrial tissue cannot exit the body naturally. It instead gets stuck, irritating the tissue around it and causing inflammation.

When left to its own devices, endometriosis can also cause lesions and scar tissue inside the body. Most often, endometriosis affects areas including the:

• Ovaries
• Bladder
• Rectovaginal septum
• Bowel
  
  

While you usually find it in areas close to the uterus, endometriosis can sometimes affect the diaphragm and lungs.

What are common endometriosis symptoms?

Endometriosis presents a variety of different symptoms that women often mistakenly attribute to other conditions. Sometimes, endometriosis presents no symptoms at all. Common endometriosis symptoms include:

• Extreme pain or cramping during periods
• Diarrhea, constipation, painful bowel movements and painful urination
• Pain during sex
• Heavy or otherwise irregular menstrual bleeding
• Infertility

What’s the process for diagnosing endometriosis?

When you come into Alliance OB/GYN, you’ll start your appointment by describing to your doctor in detail your symptoms. It’s helpful if you track when during your menstrual cycle they’re most severe.

Based on the information you provide, the team at Alliance OB/GYN then conducts a number of tests to determine whether or not your symptoms are being caused by endometriosis. These tests include:

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Pelvic exam
• Biopsy
• Ultrasound
• Laparoscopy

How can I treat my endometriosis?

Unfortunately, doctors don’t have a cure for endometriosis. So, they instead focus on treating it and managing symptoms. To manage your symptoms, the team at Alliance OB/GYN may suggest or prescribe a number of different treatments, including:

• Over-the-counter pain medication
• Prescription pain medication
• Hormonal therapy to lessen or end menstrual periods (vaginal rings, birth control pills, patches, etc.)
• Surgery to remove abnormal tissue
• Hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus)

If you think you’re experiencing the symptoms of endometriosis, reach out to the compassionate team at Alliance OB/GYN. Schedule an appointment over the phone or via the online booking tool.