What is it?
Endometriosis is a fairly common disorder (7-15% of folks with a uterus between the ages of 18 and 49 are diagnosed with it in Canada) (1). Also, there is a 5.4-year delay in receiving a diagnosis (sometimes longer), which as you could imagine, makes untreated symptoms worse (1)!
So, what is endometriosis? It’s when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (endometrial tissue) grows outside of the uterus (2). This tissue might surround several organs, and even though it’s outside of the uterus, it behaves similarly (2). Throughout each menstrual cycle, the tissue thickens and tries to leave the body (3). Because it’s not in the uterus and has nowhere to go when attempting to shed, among other complications, it leads to inflammation, swelling, and adhesions (3).
What are the symptoms?
As mentioned before, the process of receiving an endometriosis diagnosis can be lengthy (1). This could be because a laparoscopy (a surgery that is explained below) needs to be performed and/or because symptoms often overlap with other conditions (4).
Initially showing up at any point during adolescence or adulthood, symptoms might be ongoing or rotate with the menstrual cycle (2). Also, folks will experience symptoms differently depending on where the tissue is in the body and the progress of the disorder (2).
Here are some endometriosis symptoms, and keep in mind that some folks may experience all, some, or none of them (1, 5):
Chronic pelvic pain (endometriosis is actually the main cause for this, although it’s also associated with other conditions)
Pain during penetrative sex (this is called dyspareunia and can also occur after sex)
Infertility
Heavy bleeding during menstruation
Painful urination and/or bowel movements while menstruating
Back, thigh, and/or abdominal pain
How do you get diagnosed?
After going over your medical history and symptoms with a physician, you’ll need to get some physical tests done! You could start by getting a pelvic exam by having a physician manually feel around for cysts and scars (6). Internal and external ultrasounds can be used to look for cysts around organs and tissues surrounding the uterus (6). For more accurate and detailed images, an MRI scan is used to identify the placement and thickness of endometrial-like tissues (6). As of now, you’ll need a laparoscopy to officially diagnose the stage and type of endometriosis, which is a minor surgery that requires lower-abdomen incisions so that a surgeon can insert a laparoscope and look for endometrial-like tissue surrounding organs (6).
Questions?
About a week ago, the IWK hospital in Halifax announced it is “set to open the first dedicated multidisciplinary endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain (CPP) clinic in the Atlantic Provinces” (7)! Hopefully, this will reduce the delay for an endometriosis diagnosis and create more comprehensive care in Atlantic Canada!
If you have any questions or need help connecting with a physician, please reach out to us! You can email us at outreach@southhousehalifax.ca or info@southhousehalifax.ca!
Disclaimer: Please note that this article is for informational purposes only and should not be used to substitute medical or treatment advice. Always seek out the advice of a physician or licensed health provider regarding your health!
References
1. Singh, S., et al. (2020). Prevalence, symptomatic burden, and diagnosis of endometriosis in Canada. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Canada, 42(7), 829-838. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogc.2019.10.038
2. Druet, A. (2018). Endometriosis 101. https://helloclue.com/articles/cycle-a-z/endometriosis-101
3. Giudice, L. (2011). Endometriosis. The New England Journal of Medicine, 362(25), 2389-2398. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMcp1000274
4. Ballard, K., et al. (2006). What’s the delay? A qualitative study of women’s experiences of reaching a diagnosis of endometriosis. Fertility and Sterility, 86(5), 1296-1301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2006.04.054
5. John Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Endometriosis. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/endometriosis
6. Mayo Clinic. (2019). Endometriosis. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/endometriosis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20354661
7. IWK Health Centre. (2021). News Archive. https://www.iwk.nshealth.ca/news#/news/iwk-open-first-multidisciplinary-endometriosis-and-chronic-pelvic-pain-clinic-atlantic-province