Statistics estimate that one in ten people are affected by endometriosis worldwide. This turns out to be a whopping approximately 176 million women, yet there still isn’t a whole lot known about the condition – or more specifically, it still takes a long time for the medical field to take people’s pain seriously and give an accurate diagnosis so symptom management can start.
Endometriosis is a chronic condition in which the endometrial lining which is often found inside the uterus that’s shed off during menstruation grows outside the uterus. This causes a host of symptoms, one of the most common being painful periods, cramps, and hard-to-manage symptoms that don’t stop when menstruation stops, as well as making it hard to conceive.
If you’re wondering if symptoms you’ve been dealing with might be endometriosis or there’s someone in your life who has been diagnosed and you want to support them, here are some things most people don’t know about endo.
Unless you experience pain from endometriosis, it’s hard to convey just how debilitating it is
Symptoms are more than just pain during periods
Most people could probably explain that periods are often more painful for someone who has endometriosis. However, there are other symptoms that can be debilitating too. This includes pain during sex, lower back pain, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, painful urination, painful bowel movements, and infertility.
Treating symptoms is often a lot of trial-and-error
Since the condition can impact different people differently, trying to find a management plan that works to curb endometrosis symptoms is very individual. There's over-the-counter type of help like heating pads, warm baths, reducing stress, and planning the calendar around the hardest days. Also there are medications that can help regulate hormones, inflammation, and pain, and some surgical options as well. The point is there's not one-size-fits all solution to endo.
Endometriosis can occur outside just the pelvic area
We know that endo is when tissue similar to what is usually lining the inside of the uterus grows outside the uterus. Some common places it can occur include the bladder and the fallopian tubes but the condition isn’t contained to just the pelvic region. It’s also been found in the intestines and the lungs – but it can occur anywhere in the body.
Endometriosis is a common factor in infertility
Some studies have shown that when it comes to endometriosis, 30 to 50 percent of people with the condition may also have difficultly getting pregnant. Infertility is one of the largest complications that come with endo because scar tissue that comes with the condition makes it challenging to get or stay pregnant. However, it’s not a guarantee that pregnancy will have challenges.
Pregnancy doesn’t cure endo
There are some people who think that getting pregnant will help "cure" endometriosis pain and while there’s a chance some of the symptoms might be more manageable during pregnancy, it’s not a guarantee that it’s going to stay away for good.
There was one small study that involved 345 people diagnosed with endo that found a recurrence was lower in those that gave birth vaginally compared to those who had a c-section. The theory on why is because the cervix was stretched which aids in menstrual flow. However, that’s one small study and it hasn’t held true across the board.
Endo isn’t the same for every person, and symptoms can very greatly
For some people with endometriosis, their pain is managed well with medication and other things while others use every trick in the toolbox, and nothing seems to work. The same things hold true for symptoms outside the menstruation time – some people report debilitating symptoms all the time while others don’t find that’s the case with them. It’s important to understand that those with more difficult symptoms aren’t being dramatic – every person is different.
