Symptoms
- Severe period pain not relieved by standard painkillers
- Pain during or after sex
- Pain opening bowels during periods
- Difficulty conceiving
- Fatigue
Endometriosis: symptoms, causes & treatment
Endometriosis is tissue similar to womb lining growing outside the uterus — causing painful periods, pain during sex and fertility problems.
Editorial information by Kaiser Khan. Not clinically reviewed.
Why it happens
Not fully understood — likely multiple factors including retrograde menstruation and immune factors. Not caused by lifestyle choices.
Treatment
Hormonal treatments, pain management, surgery in selected cases, fertility support. Requires proper gynaecology assessment for diagnosis.
Self-care that helps
Track symptoms across cycles; heat pads; gentle exercise; seek specialist review rather than repeated A&E visits for unmanaged pain.
When to get help
Pain preventing daily activities, inability to conceive after 12 months, or bowel/bladder symptoms cyclically — gynaecology referral.
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