Signs of Endomitriosis

Normally, new endometrial tissue lines the uterus each month, then is shed during menstruation. In endometriosis, sometimes misspelled endomitriosis, this tissue grows in other parts of the body, most commonly on the ovaries, bowel, rectum, bladder and pelvis lining. These cells are not shed and can cause health problems. The primary symptom is pain, which can be mild or severe no matter how severe the condition is.

Menstrual Pain

• Endometriosis can cause pelvic, abdominal and lower-back pain a week or two before menstruation begins and lasting for several days during the period. Pain might be mild or severe, cramping, or a dull ache.

Other Pain

• Pelvic pain from endometriosis can also occur during ovulation, during or after sexual intercourse, and during urination.

IBS

• Pain might occur during bowel movements, which might lead the woman to speculate she has irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a disorder that causes diarrhea, constipation and abdominal cramps. To complicate things, IBS sometimes accompanies endometriosis.

Abnormal Bleeding

• Endometriosis might cause occasional heavy periods or spotting between periods.

Infertility

• Another sign of endometriosis is infertility, caused by tubes and ovaries becoming scarred from inflamed endometrial tissue, or tubes blocked by tissue. Endometriosis sometimes is diagnosed when a woman sees a physician because she has not been able to become pregnant.

Another Possibility

• Many cases of endometriosis, including severe ones, have no symptoms.