How is Endometriosis Diagnosed?

It’s normal to feel some pain and cramping during your period. What’s not normal is debilitating pain that prevents you from going to school or work or completing your daily tasks. If your period symptoms are particularly intense, you may have endometriosis.

With endometriosis, the tissue that’s supposed to thicken in the uterus also happens to grow outside your uterus. Moreover, the tissue growing outside the uterus also sheds when you have your period, which can cause blockages in your fallopian tubes and pelvis and the formation of cysts. The result is debilitating pain during your period that will only get worse over time.

ENDOMETRIOSIS SYMPTOMS

When seeking medical attention, make sure to let tell your doctor about all the symptoms you experience in detail so you can get an accurate diagnosis. Describe to your doctor the pain and symptoms you feel during your period and during the remainder of the month. With endometriosis, you may experience pain even while not on your period. If you experience this, it is an important point to share with your doctor.

Some other symptoms of endometriosis include:

• Lower back pain
• Pelvic pain
• Pain during or after intercourse
• Pain when urinating
• Pain with passing bowels
• Heavy or irregular bleeding during menstruation
• Spotting between periods
• Constipation
• Bloating
• Nausea
• Infertility
• Mood swings

DIAGNOSING ENDOMETRIOSIS

The first step to diagnosing endometriosis is a pelvic exam. The gynecologist will check for signs of endometriosis. However, a pelvic exam may not provide the gynecologist with a clear picture of your problem. Therefore, an image-guided diagnostic tool is usually ordered next.

Your doctor may also request an ultrasound or MRI. The ultrasound will generate pictures of what’s inside your abdomen and pelvis, and the MRI will create even more detailed pictures. For a deeper look into what’s going on in your pelvis, your doctor may recommend a laparoscopy procedure, which allows for a closer look at the abnormalities in the pelvis. A thin tool with a camera at the end will project live images onto a screen for a clearer vision of the problem. During a laparoscopy, your doctor may get a tissue sample and submit it for a biopsy to rule out other serious conditions.

The sooner you get a diagnosis for endometriosis, the sooner you can start treatment. With proper treatment, you can finally be relieved of your debilitating endometriosis symptoms.

ENDOMETRIOSIS DIAGNOSIS IN WOOSTER, OHIO

At Wooster Community Hospital, our gynecology department specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of a broad range of diseases of the female reproductive system, including endometriosis.

We are dedicated to providing the highest quality care and welcome you to our WCH Women’s Specialty Center and Bloomington’s Women’s Care, which is part of the WCH health system. Our compassionate health care providers are focused on providing healthcare needs for women in all stages of life.

We have six locations from which to serve you. For assistance and to schedule an appointment, please call (330) 263-8144. Our friendly staff is happy to help answer your questions and looks forward to serving you.