March is Endometriosis Awareness Month

Endometriosis

This is a condition where uterine tissue grows outside the uterus.  It can be a debilitating pain and often makes getting pregnant difficult, if not impossible.  Below are signs or symptoms you may experience if you have endometriosis.  This is just a guide.  If you find that many of these symptoms match you, please, see your gynecologist to schedule an ultrasound to get checked and be sure.  Never try to self-diagnose illnesses.  Many have similar symptoms that can lead to a misdiagnosis.

1.       Very Painful Menstrual Periods

• This can be a pain that can range from nagging to completely debilitating, making the person unable work or, in some cases, get out of bed.
• The pain can either feel like intense pressure or a gut wrenching pain.

2.       Chronic back/pelvic pain

• This pain is throughout the entire pelvic area and can make walking a painful experience, often causing the person to have to shuffle instead of take steps.
• It is difficult to sit for long periods of time.
• It is hard to find a comfortable position to lie in to sleep or rest.

3.       You have pain during sex

• This is a deep pain and not the one when penetration occurs.
• It usually happens when the penis penetrates fully.
• Can make having intercourse very painful, often leading to you not wanting to have sex.
• There is bleeding after sex

4.       Intestinal pain

• This is cramping in the intestine area.
• This can lead to doubling over
• Pain usually feels like needles

5.       Painful Bowel movements, urination

• This can happen during your period
• Can lead to blood in the stool

6.       Bleeding or spotting between periods

• This can be light or medium spotting
• It can last for three days or more
• Spotting is sporadic, not happening every months

7.       Infertile

• Difficulty getting pregnant
• Complications during pregnancy
  • Miscarriages

8.       Digestive problems

• Diarrhea before and during periods
• Sporadic constipation
• Bloating
• Nausea
• These can often mimic IBS, but only tends to occur during periods

http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/endometriosis.html

http://www.webmd.com/women/endometriosis/endometriosis-topic-overview

Categories: health

Tags: Endo Symptoms, EndoAware, EndoEducation, Endometriosis, Endometriosis Education, Endometriosis signs, signs of Endometriosis