Signs and Symptoms of Endometriosis
Have you ever experienced period pain so bad you needed to be absent from school or work? Are your periods so heavy that a “super” tampon is not enough to stop leaking from bleeding?
These are some of the common symptoms of endometriosis, but there are also many more! Keep reading below to learn about additional symptoms and on how a pelvic floor physical therapist can play a major role in treating your symptoms!
What is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a complex disease where tissue similar to the lining of your uterus begins to grow outside of your uterus. This tissue creates lesions that can spread to many different areas in the body. Common symptoms of this disease include heavy and painful periods, chronic pelvic pain, pain with sex, and fertility issues.
There are a few reasons that it may be difficult to get a proper diagnosis for endometriosis, let’s take a look at those reasons below:
Endometriosis is NOT just a period issue and includes other symptoms such as gut health dysfunction/GI distress, fatigue, difficulty urinating or having a bowel movement, just to name a few. You may experience a variety of these symptoms that may not feel connected to the disease at first!
Period pain symptoms are often treated with hormonal pills to blunt the pain response, however similar or new symptoms may still occur even when on these medications
Symptoms may begin as early as your teenage years and be dismissed until they become more debilitating in adulthood
If you have concerns with your current symptoms, it is highly recommended to seek out an expert in endometriosis care management and diagnosis. A website called “Nancy’s Nook” is a great resource to find an expert near your area.
Period Health and Pain Symptoms
Mild discomfort or cramps during your period is common and normal. If you are having this type of discomfort it should improve with over the counter medication or other holistic approaches. However with endometriosis, period pain can debilitate a person to the point of affecting their ability to work, take care of daily tasks or go to school.
Pain symptoms may also show up at different times for women with endometriosis. Some women may have consistent pain leading up to their period cycle, mid-cycle or during ovulation. However, others may have pain at any time during the month. If you are experiencing consistent debilitating pain that is affecting your ability to complete daily tasks this should be evaluated further by a trusted health provider!
Gut Health
We are becoming more informed in the medical community that endometriosis is closely connected to your digestive health. In fact, 90% of women with endometriosis also have digestive issues including bloating, diarrhea, constipation, painful bowel movements or nausea and vomiting.
Improving your gut health and reducing inflammation can be a great first step to help manage your symptoms because your gut plays a critical role in maintaining our overall health. There is not an “endometriosis diet” that would fit each individual since every person's body reacts differently to food. We do however recommend reducing or eliminating processed or refined food, vegetable oil, alcohol and limiting added sugars to less than 25 grams per day to reduce system wide inflammation.
Pain with Sex
One symptom that may occur with endometriosis is pain with sex. If the uterine-like tissues from endometriosis begin to surround the pelvic floor muscles this can restrict their movement and create pain. Pain can also create a protective state in the tissues and further enhance the pain cycle. Pelvic floor physical therapists are specialized in treating this type of pain by reducing the tissue restriction contributing to the dysfunction.
Conservative Management with Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
The process to obtain a diagnosis for endometriosis may feel drawn out for many. Oftentimes it is best to seek care from a medical provider that specializes in treating endometriosis, but there are unfortunately few surgeons and doctors that primarily treat this condition.
The good news is, even if you do not have a diagnosis of endometriosis a pelvic floor physical therapist can still help to reduce and manage many of the commonly known symptoms. These include abdominal/back or pelvic pain, difficulty with urination or bowel movements, pain with sex or dysfunction with your period health. Each person deserves a uniquely tailored healing plan utilizing our hands on techniques to release tissue restrictions and improve lifestyle or diet factors that could be contributing to your individual symptoms.
If you are local to the surrounding area and experiencing any of the symptoms described above, give us a call today to discuss your options for an evaluation!