Women frequently experience chronic pelvic pain that at times can be debilitating. There are many different medical causes but in some instances no obvious cause can be found. If the pelvic pain occurs monthly around the time of your new menstrual cycle and it seems much worse than typical menstrual cramps then perhaps you have endometriosis.
Normally when a woman begins a new monthly menstrual period the tissue lining of her uterus called endometrium is washed out in her menstrual flow. This process normally takes 4 to 7 days.
For women who suffer from endometriosis this endometrial tissue lining fails to completely wash out and instead ends up in their abdomens and pelvices attached to internal organs like the bladder, ovaries or intestines. This endometrial tissue is still functional so whenever a period occurs this displaced tissue swells and bleeds leading to severe pain. Other symptoms can include back pain, pain with intercourse (dyspareunia), and pain with bowel movements (dyschezia). Women who have difficulty getting pregnant are also more likely to have endometriosis since the repeated tissue swelling can cause scar tissue around the fallopian tubes and ovaries.
The diagnosis of endometriosis is very challenging because there are no accurate blood tests, ultrasounds or x-rays available. The only way to make a definitive diagnosis is for your doctor to perform a laparoscopy. This procedure performed under anesthesia is done by making a small skin incision usually through your navel and placing a camera scope into your abdomen. Your doctor can then visually check for possible areas of endometriosis.
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