Endometriosis | The Symptoms

Some women experience symptoms while others do not.  The symptoms of endometriosis can vary in intensity. Common symptoms

• Painful, heavy, or irregular periods
• Pain during or after sex
• Infertility
• Problems on opening bowels
• Fatigue

The amount of endometriosis does not always correspond to the amount of pain and discomfort.  A small amount of endometriosis can be more painful than severe disease.  It depends, largely, where the endometriosis is actually growing inside the body. All of the symptoms above may have other causes. It is important to seek medical advice to clarify the cause of any symptoms you may experience. If your symptoms change after diagnosis it is important to discuss these changes with a medical practitioner. It is easy to attribute all your problems to endometriosis but it may not always be the cause of your symptoms.

The symptoms of endometriosis can also indicate many other conditions – such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) – and because endometriosis manifests itself in a variety of ways, diagnosis can be difficult.  The average time between a patient first consulting the doctor with the symptoms and then receiving the diagnosis is currently 8 years!

Source: http://www.endometriosis-uk.org/index.html

Category: Health News