What are the symptoms of endometriosis?
Symptoms vary and some individuals have only infertility
- Severe pain during menstruation (see “Pain“)
- Pelvic or abdominal pain not associated with menses
- Low back and/or leg pain
- Pain with sex (see “Sexual Functioning“)
- Painful bowel movements
- Stomach problems including nausea, bloating, diarrhea and/or constipation (see “Bowel/GI“)
- Fatigue (see “Fatigue” and “Inflammation“)
- Infertility (see “Fertility Issues“)
Less common symptoms
- Pain with breathing and/or shoulder pain particularly during menstruation may indicate diaphragm or lung endometriosis (see “Thoracic (diaphragm)“)
- Coughing up blood or collapse of lung during period may indicate lung endometriosis
Endometriosis symptoms
Endometriosis symptoms can vary widely in both presentation and severity. While endometriosis can present with “typical” symptoms such as chronic pelvic pain during menstruation, it can also present with symptoms not readily attributed to endometriosis. One example is sciatica type
Symptoms Based on Endometriosis Locations
Symptoms based on location of endometriosis lesions: Foti, P. V., Farina, R., Palmucci, S., Vizzini, I. A. A., Libertini, N., Coronella, M., … & Milone, P. (2018). Endometriosis: clinical features, MR imaging findings and pathologic correlation. Insights into imaging, 9(2), 149-172.
Introduction: Pain
What a Pain! Pain can be experienced as mild to severe. Pain can occur at any time during the menstrual cycle. Pain may not be confined to the pelvic area. Pain can be experienced as inflammatory (due to inflammation), peritoneal
What influences pain levels?
Some women might experience minimal pain with endometriosis, while many experience may experience severe pain. Bloski and Pierson (2008) state that “women with minimal or mild endometriosis have been found to have high degrees of pain and infertility, while asymptomatic
Pain Associated with Minimal Endometriosis
“Minimal” endometriosis does not mean minimal pain. In fact, the opposite may be true- “minimal”, smaller lesions can produce a large number of prostaglandins that can lead to major pain. While this is an older study and “microscopic” endometriosis is
Location of lesions and where pain is felt
Endometriosis lesions in different locations may cause different symptoms. Often the symptoms are referred pain (pain in a different place than where the endometriosis lesion is located). There is also some information about central sensitization. Overview Foti, P. V., Farina,
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction links
Studies: Faubion, S. S., Shuster, L. T., & Bharucha, A. E. (2012, February). Recognition and management of nonrelaxing pelvic floor dysfunction. In Mayo Clinic Proceedings (Vol. 87, No. 2, pp. 187-193). Elsevier. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(11)00024-3/fulltext “Unlike in pelvic floor disorders caused by
Pain with Penetration
Pain with any type of penetration, such as from a tampon or from a physical exam, is a symptom of endometriosis. Pain may often be felt with sexual activity. Pain can be from pulling or stretching of tissue. It can
Brokengirl: The secret shame of chronic pelvic pain and the unseen consequences of our current care paradigm for endometriosis care
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Sciatic Pain and Endometriosis
While endometriosis may not necessarily have to be on the sciatic nerve to cause similar symptoms, there have been some cases documented of that happening. Some symptoms could be: cyclical pain along the sciatic nerve (sciatica), back pain, gluteal pain
Nerves and endometriosis
“Endometriosis lesions are known to be hyperinnervated” (Liu, Yan, & Guo, 2019). People with endometriosis have abnormal nerve growth and nerve fibers close to endometriosis lesions (Zheng, Zhang, Leng, & Lang, 2019). Pain with endometriosis is multifactorial, including irritation of
Sexual functioning Pain with Penetration
Pain with any type of penetration, such as from a tampon or from a physical exam, is a symptom of endometriosis. Pain may often be felt with sexual activity. Pain can be from pulling or stretching of tissue. It can