FAQs About Endometriosis

Could your severe period pain be caused by endometriosis? When your Hoffman Estates, IL, OB/GYNs at Northwest Associates for Women's Healthcare, the doctors will find the source of your pain and recommend treatments that help relieve pain and other symptoms.

What Is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis occurs when the same type of tissue that lines your uterus begins to grow in other parts of your body, including the ovaries, fallopian tubes, peritoneum, and the outer areas of the intestines, ureters, bladder, rectum, or uterus. Ten percent of women of reproductive age have the condition, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

What Causes Endometriosis Pain?

The lining of your uterus thickens every month to prepare for a possible pregnancy. If you don't become pregnant, your progesterone and estrogen levels drop. Your body responds to the drop in hormones by shedding the lining of the uterus during your period.

Estrogen also affects the endometrial tissue growing in other parts of your body, causing pain, bleeding, and inflammation. Eventually, scar tissue and adhesions may form, increasing your pain. Adhesions happen when scar tissue melds two organs together or adheres organs to the abdominal wall.

What Are the Symptoms of Endometriosis?

Endometriosis can cause these symptoms:

• Severe pain before and during your period
• Heavy bleeding
• Bleeding between periods
• Painful urination and bowel movements during your period
• Diarrhea
• Bloating
• Nausea
• Pain during sex
• Infertility

What Treatments Are Available for Endometriosis?

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

• Hormonal Medications: These medications slow endometrial tissue growth and can prevent new adhesions, according to ACOG. Hormonal medications include birth control pills, aromatase inhibitors, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists, and progestin-only drugs.
• Surgery: During surgery, endometrial tissue, scar tissue, and adhesions are removed. Surgery is usually only an option if you have severe pain that hasn't responded to other treatments or endometriosis has caused fertility issues.

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