Endometriosis is a painful gynecological condition that affects about 2-10% of women in the United States. Women with endometriosis grow endometrium-like tissue outside their uterus.

During your menstrual cycle, endometrial tissue grows along the lining of your uterus in preparation for pregnancy. Your body gets rid of the endometrial tissue through menstruation.

With endometriosis, you have endometrial-like tissue growing on your fallopian tubes, ovaries, and the tissue that lines your pelvis sheds in tune with your menstrual cycle. This displaced tissue causes small amounts of bleeding that leads to inflammation, swelling, and scarring of your reproductive organs.

Pelvic pain during menstruation that worsens over time is the most common symptom of endometriosis. Other symptoms include:

• Heavy menstrual bleeding

• Pain during intercourse

• Painful urination during your period

• Painful bowel movements during your period

• Infertility

• Bloating

• Constipation or diarrhea

 The severity of your symptoms may not accurately reflect the extent of your condition. Some women have severe pain with mild endometriosis, while others have mild or no pain with advanced endometriosis.

The team at Euphrates Health and Wellness conduct comprehensive, patient-centered exams when you come in with symptoms that sound like endometriosis.

Our team will ask detailed questions about your symptoms and menstrual cycle; We review your gynecological, medical, and family history and perform a physical and pelvic exam.

The team also performs on-site ultrasounds to evaluate your reproductive organs and look for signs of endometriosis. Though the team can formulate a diagnosis after a history, physical, and ultrasound, they need to perform a laparoscopic procedure to confirm you have endometriosis. 

During this procedure, a laparoscope is inserted through a small incision in your abdomen and looks for endometrial growths. Then, we take tissue samples and send them to the lab for evaluation.

At Euphrates, We create individual treatment plans for endometriosis based on the severity of your symptoms and your future pregnancy plans. When possible, we takes a conservative approach, prescribing medications to manage symptoms, such as:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

• Hormonal contraceptives (to decrease endometrial tissue growth)

• Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists and antagonists (to stop periods)

• Progestin therapy (to stop your periods)

• Aromatase inhibitors (to decrease estrogen levels)

Endometriosis is a common gynecological condition that affects the quality of life. For expert care from an experienced team, call Euphrates Health and Wellness or schedule a consultation online today.