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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nIn terms of surgical treatments, key-hole surgery to remove or destroy areas of endometriosis tissue may improve symptoms and fertility, although even surgery doesn\u2019t \u201ccure\u201d endometriosis.\u00a0 Some women may eventually decide to have a hysterectomy, which means removing the womb and may also involve removing the cervix, fallopian tubes and or the ovaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Getting an endometriosis diagnosis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Endometriosis can come with many different symptoms and take years to diagnose \u2013 the average is 7.5(!). Periods can be painful, heavy and irregular. Sex may be painful. And infertility can be an issue. Other symptoms can include \u2013 to name a few \u2013 pain passing urine or during bowel movements, pain perhaps in your lower tummy or back\u00a0 outside of your period, extreme tiredness, and frequent thrush infections. Many women have several symptoms, and some none at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s why for some, a diagnosis can actually be a source of relief. As one woman put it, \u201cI finally had a name for my pain. A name for the debilitating cramps that came every single month.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The only way to fully diagnose endometriosis is through a key-hole camera investigation of your pelvic area. But before this point, you may have external examinations, internal examinations, scans and blood tests \u2013 or a combination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reaching out and getting support<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Although women everywhere are affected by endometriosis, many aren\u2019t getting the support they need. This is because the condition often goes undiagnosed or, when it is diagnosed, it\u2019s misperceived as \u2018really bad period pain\u2019. As a result, women often feel like they\u2019re being ignored and their pain isn\u2019t being taken seriously. This can lead to feeling isolated and like you\u2019re the only one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But with 176 million women (one in 10) affected worldwide, you\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reach out to friends and family, even if it feels like an awkward subject. Talking about it will help, and you might even have people close to you with first-hand experience of endometriosis. Not only will they know what you\u2019re going through, but they can help you to get the support you need from your doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you recognise the symptoms and suspect that you have it, book an appointment with your doctor or gynaecologist to find out more. They\u2019ll explore ways to ease your pain and help you cope with the symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Understandably, current government guidelines mean waiting times for appointments and surgeries may be longer than usual. If it’s difficult for you to visit your doctor at the moment, consider asking for a phone or video consultation instead.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
You\u2019ve probably heard it mentioned, but what exactly is endometriosis? The endometrium is another word for the lining of the womb that gets shed every month as period blood. Endometriosis is a condition where tissue cells similar to the type that grows inside the womb starts growing elsewhere in the body. These cells bleed as a reaction to the menstrual cycle every month, but as the blood is unable to leave the body it can cause a lot of serious pain, inflammation and the formation of scar tissue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":75623,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-75622","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n