Endometriosis 101: All You Need to Know About Endo

This month is Endometriosis Awareness Month if you have any questions or any comments please let us know by emailing us at info@evorawomen.com!

What is Endometriosis (endo)?

Endometriosis is when the patient has endometrium, which is the lining of the uterus, that is implanted in places that are not the lining of the uterus. Endometrial implants can often be found on the ovaries, bowel, and/or bladder.

What are common symptoms of Endometriosis?

Some of the common symptoms of endometriosis are really bad cramps, or dysmenorrhea, pelvic pain, and painful sex. These common symptoms would raise suspicion that someone has endometriosis, but endo is not diagnosable only on symptoms.

Does endometriosis effect fertility?

Not everyone with endometriosis will have infertility problems, but having endo does increase the likelihood that you would have trouble getting pregnant.

Want to learn more about endometriosis’ effect on fertility? Read this blog recommended by Dr. Becky Lynn.

How is Endometriosis Diagnosed?

The only way to actually diagnose endometriosis is with a laparoscopy, and a laparoscopy is a surgery where they use a little video camera and look inside the uterus. The surgeon is looking for what looks like endometriotic implants, and then confirm the diagnosis by removing those implants and sending them to pathology. Pathology will then tell the doctor if the implants are endometriosis.

Sometimes as endometrioma, which is a big cyst in the ovary that is full of endometriosis, can be seen on an ultrasound. An endometrioma has a characteristic look on an ultrasound that raises suspicion for endometriosis. Even with an endometrioma, endometriosis is not diagnosable on ultrasound.

What medical conditions travel with Endo?

A lot of times endometriosis travels with some other symptoms or conditions. It's very common for individuals with endo to also have painful bladder syndrome, or interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome, pelvic floor muscle spasm, vulvodynia, vaginismus, and anxiety and depression.

What treatments are there for Endo?

There are several treatment options for endo. Typically physicians will start with a birth control pill to suppress those implants and help with bad menstrual cramps, pelvic pain, and painful sex. Another option is the birth control ring or IUD, which work in a similar way to the birth control pill to lessen the pain related to endometriosis. Sometimes progesterone only birth controls, like depoprovera or nexplanon, can also suppress the endometriotic implants. Laparoscopy can be successful as a treatment. Laparoscopy is diagnostic, it can tell the doctor if the patients has endometriosis, but it can also be therapeutic in that during the laparoscopy the endometriotic implants can be removed.

Who should you see if you suspect you have endo?

If you suspect that you have endometriosis, you should see a physician, often a gynecologist or uro-gyn, who is well versed in taking care of individuals with endometriosis. Dr. Becky Lynn, board certified gynecologist and sexual counselor, sees many women with endometriosis in her practice to treat the side effects of endometriosis.

Learn more about getting treatment or pain relief of endometriosis today by scheduling a FREE 15 minute consultation to see if Dr. Lynn is the right physician for you!