Do I Have Endometriosis?

Endometriosis pain can disrupt your life and leave you feeling hopeless. Fortunately, the treatments offered by the OB/GYNs at Northwest Associates for Women's Healthcare in Hoffman Estates, IL, can ease your pain, allowing you to live an active life once again.
 

What is endometriosis?

Endometriosis occurs when the tissue that lines your uterus begins growing outside the uterus. The disorder affects about one in 10 women during their reproductive years, according to the World Endometriosis Association.
 

What are the symptoms of endometriosis?

Although cramping is a normal part of menstruation, women who have endometriosis often experience severe pain and cramps before and during their periods. The pain may be so bad that it's impossible to go to work or school or participate in your normal activities.
 

Periods can be heavy and long if you have endometriosis. Using the toilet, whether you're urinating or having a bowel movement, can trigger pain. Pain isn't just felt in your abdomen but can extend to your back and legs.
 

Diarrhea, constipation, bloating, and nausea can also accompany endometriosis. Not surprisingly, the disorder can leave you feeling exhausted. Endometriosis can also cause pain during sex, difficulty getting pregnant, and spotting between periods.
 

Since it's difficult to tell just how much pain and bleeding is too much, many women suffer from endometriosis symptoms for years before seeing an OB/GYN.
 

How is endometriosis treated?

Your doctor may diagnose endometriosis based on the results of your pelvic exam and several tests, including an ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, or a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure that lets your doctor look inside your abdomen.
 

If you're diagnosed with endometriosis during a visit to the Hoffman Estates OB/GYN office, your doctor may recommend one or more of these treatments, depending on the severity of your symptoms:
 

• Hormonal contraceptives to prevent the monthly shedding of the lining of the uterus
• Prescription pain medication to relieve your pain
• Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) therapy to reduce pain, shrink endometrial growths, stop periods, and halt estrogen production.
• Minimally invasive surgery to remove endometrial growths
• A hysterectomy to remove the uterus, cervix, and ovaries if other treatment methods aren't helpful

Do you think that you may have endometriosis? Call your Hoffman Estates, IL, OB/GYNs at Northwest Associates for Women's Healthcare at (847) 884-1800 to schedule your appointment.