Approximately 200 million women worldwide suffer on regular basis from an often-times debilitating disease called endometriosis.

✅Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterus, mainly in the abdominal cavity. The presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterus results in an inflammatory response from the body.

✅The most common symptom of endometriosis is pelvic pain. The pain is often with menstruation, during ovulation, with sexual intercourse, and/or during evacuation.

✅The pain is often cyclical and severe enough to interrupt your daily activities resulting in a profound reduction in ones quality of life. Infertility and fatigue can also be symptoms of endometriosis.

With the prevalence of these symptoms, you may be surprised to learn that it often takes several years before this debilitating condition is properly diagnosed.

Diagnosing endometriosis is difficult for a multitude of reasons, number one being a lack of knowledge and awareness of the condition and its symptoms. Secondly symptoms may mimic other conditions like irritable bowel, pelvic inflammatory disease, and/or acute appendicitis.

Listening to your body makes all the difference in improving the quality of your life. 

Definitive confirmation of an endometriosis diagnosis occurs through a minimally invasive surgery know as a laparoscopy.

The longer the symptoms of endometriosis go untreated the greater the risk of developing other related conditions such as chronic pelvic pain and pelvic floor disfunction.

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is defined as persistent, noncyclic pain in structures related to the pelvis, lasting longer than six months. CPP often results from more than one condition often related to your digestive, reproductive, or urinary system.  The pain can also arise from muscles, connective tissue, and or nerves within the pelvis.

Pelvic Floor Disfunction is the inability to control the muscles of your pelvic floor (a group of muscles and ligaments in your pelvic region that support the organs in your pelvis) . This lack of control/coordination results in the inability to be continent in bladder and/or bowel, as well as support the abdominal organs, and may also affect sexual function.  There are several types of pelvic floor disfunction which can cause a variety of symptoms.

A person with pelvic floor disfunction may experience:

  • pelvic pain
  • pressure/bulge in the lower pelvic region
  • urinary incontinence
  • fecal leakage
  • incomplete urination
  • bowel movement disfunction
  • pain during intercourse

If you are reading this and saying to yourself…”I am dealing with that!” Please know those symptoms are are NOT normal! They are signals that your body is telling that something is “off.” You do NOT need to endure them day after day, week after week, month after month.

There is HOPE! There is treatment to reduce and even resolve your symptoms.

Diagnosis and Treatment:

Diagnosing the cause of your symptoms through history, exam, and/or diagnostic testing to determine the best course of treatment is the first step.

Treatment begins with reducing pain and inflammation of the affected area

  • natural pain control through TENS, supplements, massage, autonomic nervous system quieting
  • reducing inflammation in your body by improving tissue health through a variety of treatments
  • making dietary changes to further reduce inflammation in the body
  • improving body mechanics and postural changes
  • lengthening and strengthening of affected muscles
  • biofeedback
  • collaboration with Integrative Medicine, Cognitive Behavioral therapy, ….

When it comes to chronic pain and illness it is often too easy to just give in and give up. No one knows your body like you do. Believe in yourself, believe in the processes. Be open and honest with yourself and your circle of support. Lots of great information of come to come this month.

Change Starts Here.