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Only a doctor can give you a definitive diagnosis \u2013 but here, you can learn more about endometriosis and what signs to pay attention to.<\/p>\n
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Endometriosis occurs when tissue that resembles the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus \u2013 in places where it doesn’t belong. It reacts to hormonal changes in the same way as the uterine lining: it thickens during your cycle and tries to bleed during menstruation.<\/p>\n
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But outside the uterus, the blood has nowhere to go. The body doesn’t recognize this type of bleeding as normal \u2013 and tries to respond. This can cause irritation and inflammation, which over time may lead to scar tissue and adhesions between organs.<\/p>\n
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You can think of it as a creeping vine growing between your organs. If it\u2019s pulled in one place, the tendrils tug elsewhere \u2013 which can cause pain during movement, menstruation, bowel movements, or sex.<\/p>\n
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Endometriosis can show up in different ways \u2013 both in terms of depth and location.<\/p>\n
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In some, the tissue is found on the peritoneum, the thin layer that lines the abdominal cavity. In others, it may be on the ovaries and sometimes form dark cysts (called endometriomas).<\/p>\n
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In another group, the tissue grows deeper into the surrounding structures \u2013 this is called \u201cdeeply infiltrating endometriosis.\u201d It can be located behind the vagina or between the vagina and rectum, where it may cause bowel-related symptoms like pain during bowel movements, constipation, or a feeling of pressure in the pelvis.<\/p>\n
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Endometriosis can cause symptoms that severely affect your everyday life. The exact symptoms vary depending on where the tissue is located.<\/p>\n
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Pain<\/strong> is the most common symptom \u2013 and it can show up in many ways:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/ul>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tight pelvic floor<\/strong> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Other symptoms may include:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/ul>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Symptoms may come and go or vary in intensity \u2013 but even if they\u2019re not constant, they still matter and deserve attention.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Some doctors recognize endometriosis right away \u2013 others don\u2019t. Unfortunately, many people experience having their pain dismissed as \u201cjust bad period cramps.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you don\u2019t feel heard, ask your doctor if they have experience with endometriosis. Be as specific as you can when describing your symptoms \u2013 and explain how they affect your daily life, not just your cycle.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n There\u2019s no single test that can definitively confirm endometriosis. Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and decide if further tests are needed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/ul>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n It\u2019s unfortunately common for endometriosis to take time to diagnose. But that doesn\u2019t mean your symptoms aren\u2019t real.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you need to read more in English: Learn more at Endometriosis UK<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Only a doctor can give you a definitive diagnosis \u2013 but here, you can learn more about endometriosis and what signs to pay attention to. What is endometriosis? Endometriosis occurs when tissue that resembles the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus \u2013 in places where it doesn’t belong. It reacts to hormonal changes…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10000,"parent":79,"menu_order":8,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"367","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-367","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","en-US"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/w-l-h.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/367","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/w-l-h.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/w-l-h.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/w-l-h.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/w-l-h.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=367"}],"version-history":[{"count":47,"href":"https:\/\/w-l-h.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/367\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9999,"href":"https:\/\/w-l-h.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/367\/revisions\/9999"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/w-l-h.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/79"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/w-l-h.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10000"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/w-l-h.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/p>\n
Many people with endometriosis develop a tight or overactive pelvic floor \u2013 often as a reaction to ongoing pain. This in itself can cause pain during sex, bowel movements, touch, or even at rest. Some describe it as a constant tension or inner pressure in the pelvic region.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\nTalk to your doctor<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n<\/p>\nHow is endometriosis diagnosed?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Read more here: Sex and Endometriosis <\/a><\/h4>\n