Curious to learn how to find out if you have endometriosis? Endometriosis is a condition in which tissues similar to the lining of the uterus (womb) grow outside of the uterus. The tissue can attach itself to any organ in the pelvic area, including the ovaries, fallopian tubes and bowel. The tissue swells and bleeds during each menstrual cycle, just as the normal endometrial tissue inside your uterus does. However, unlike with your uterine lining, this displaced tissue has no way to escape your body when it breaks down. This leads to pain, inflammation and fertility problems for many women who have endometriosis.
Testing if you have Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a condition in which the tissue that lines the uterus grows outside of the uterus, causing painful periods and other symptoms. Endometriosis can be hard to diagnose because there are no specific tests for it.
Endometriosis is a condition in which the tissue that lines the uterus grows outside of the uterus, causing painful periods and other symptoms. Endometriosis can be hard to diagnose because there are no specific tests for it. If you’re interested in reading some books about Endometriosis, click here or check out our Endometriosis Bookshop.
How To Find Out If You Have Endometriosis And If You’re At Risk
As soon as you start having periods, you’re at risk for endometriosis. About 10% of all women have endometriosis, but only about 5% know about it. This means that many women are living with painful periods or pelvic pain without knowing why and not getting treatment for their symptoms.
A doctor who specializes in treating female reproductive disorders (called a gynaecologist) or another doctor who knows how to treat this condition should check you if your symptoms suggest endometriosis is behind them. Usually, they’ll need ultrasound scans or MRI scans to find any abnormalities in your reproductive organs before they can give you a diagnosis of endometriosis
Download our 12-page free endometriosis self-care tracker down below:
Try to find an OB-GYN or endometriosis specialist who is understanding and willing to listen to your concerns.
As you search for the right doctor, it’s important to look for someone who is understanding and willing to listen to your concerns. You also want a doctor who will take the time to explain things in detail and answer any questions that you have. It can be frustrating if you’re searching for a specialist who won’t listen—you may feel like they don’t believe what you’re saying or that they dismiss your symptoms as not being serious enough.
It might help to ask friends or family members if they know anyone with endometriosis who has had positive experiences with their OB-GYNs or specialists. This could help narrow down which doctors are worth making appointments with, especially if those people recommended their care providers because they were able to effectively treat them. If possible, try calling each of these physicians before booking an appointment so that you can get a sense of how easily accessible they are and whether or not their office seems flexible about working around patients’ schedules (some offices require appointments during normal business hours).
If you have severe pain during your period, that might be a sign of endometriosis.
If you have severe pain during your period, that might be a sign of endometriosis. However, it’s important to keep in mind that painful periods are normal for many people and can be caused by other conditions as well.
So, if you experience pain during your period and have never had any other symptoms, such as bloating or pelvic pain at other times, then this is probably not an indication of endometriosis. But if the intensity of your period symptoms seems out of proportion with the amount of bleeding or duration of the flow (for example: very heavy flow for one day followed by a week off), then it’s worth seeing your doctor just to rule out any serious conditions such as cancer or fibroids (non-cancerous growths).
Pain during sex can also be a sign of endometriosis.
If you’re experiencing pain during sex, it’s important to know that there are many possible causes of this symptom. Endometriosis is one of the most common reasons for painful sex, but it’s not the only one.
Other Symptoms Of How To Find Out If You Have Endometriosis Include:
Pain in your lower abdomen, lower back and thighs; pain during ovulation, bowel movements or urination; nausea and diarrhea; fatigue; heavy periods; infertility; bleeding between periods or after menopause; and small cysts on the ovaries that are called endometriomas.
If you have five or more of these symptoms for two weeks, your doctor may recommend an ultrasound to see if you have endometriosis. An ultrasound uses sound waves to make a picture of your uterus and surrounding organs for viewing on a monitor.
Endometriosis is sometimes confused with irritable bowel syndrome or ovarian cysts or infections, so it’s important to make sure you are accurately diagnosed so you get the right treatment.
It’s a Chronic Condition So Find Out How To Find Out If You Have Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a chronic condition that affects approximately 5 million women in the United States alone. Despite how common it is, there is still a lot of confusion about what it actually entails and how it can be treated. Some people feel that endometriosis isn’t real because they aren’t able to see the lesions on their ovaries or outside their uterus during a pelvic exam.
Download our 12-page free endometriosis self-care tracker down below:
Your doctor will probably suggest getting an ultrasound to rule out other possible causes of your symptoms first.
An ultrasound is a painless, noninvasive imaging technique used to see inside body cavities. Ultrasound uses sound waves to create images of structures deep within your body. A special hand-held device called a transducer is placed on your abdomen or pelvis and emits high-frequency sound waves that penetrate your tissues and bounce off organs and tissues, creating an image on a computer screen.
Though ultrasounds are less invasive than other imaging techniques like CT scans (computerized tomography), MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) and PET scans, they can still be uncomfortable if you have severe cramping or pain during the procedure. To relieve some of this discomfort, doctors recommend taking ibuprofen before the procedure begins; while you usually don’t need anesthesia for an ultrasound—it can help ease anxiety if you’re nervous about having one done as well.
Your doctor may suggest getting an ultrasound first since it’s quick and easy (usually takes about 20 minutes) —but it won’t tell him for sure whether or not he needs to order any other tests or procedures before making a diagnosis. This makes sense: If there’s something else causing your symptoms besides endometriosis—like ovarian cysts—an ultrasound may not pick up on them at all!
Surgery is considered the most accurate way to diagnose endometriosis, but many doctors will recommend trying less invasive treatments first.
The most accurate way to diagnose endometriosis is through surgery, but a doctor may recommend trying other less invasive treatments first. For example, if you have pelvic pain or symptoms of endometriosis without being able to identify the cause, your doctor may prescribe medications that can help with pain. If those don’t work and your symptoms continue, surgery could be required.
Surgery for endometriosis involves a surgeon removing all or part of the reproductive organs and tissue that line your pelvis (uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries), as well as any other visible lumps or lesions that might be causing inflammation in your body. It’s important to note that while this procedure can relieve pressure on organs like the bladder and rectum by removing diseased tissue from inside them (and prevent further complications down the road), it won’t necessarily cure your condition since some tissues remain behind after surgery—only time will tell how big an impact they’ll have on future health outcomes!
Conclusion
Endometriosis is a condition that can cause debilitating pain for many women, but there are ways to manage it. If you think you may have endometriosis, talk to your doctor about getting an ultrasound and other tests done so we can help you get relief from the symptoms of this condition and live as healthy a life as possible!
If you want to read more about Endometriosis, causes, symptoms, treatment and more, check out Start Here.