Endometriosis

For a lay person:

Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows outside it, such as on the ovaries and pelvic lining. It affects women of reproductive age and can cause severe period pain, long-term pelvic pain and fertility problems.

For a trained medical person:

An oestrogen-dependent chronic inflammatory disease with ectopic endometrial-like tissue, often with ovarian endometriomas, deep infiltrating disease and adhesions. Diagnosis is suggested by history, examination and transvaginal ultrasound or MRI, with laparoscopy for confirmation in some cases. First-line treatment is analgesia and hormonal suppression with combined or progestogen-only contraceptives, then GnRH analogues or surgical excision, with fertility treatment when needed.

In Chinese medicine:

Liu and Tseng's textbook differentiates this condition into these patterns: Internal Treatment. Treatment follows the pattern a patient presents with, not the Western diagnosis alone.

When to get help: See a doctor for period pain that stops you from daily activities or for difficulty conceiving; get urgent care for sudden severe pelvic pain. If you are trying to conceive or having fertility treatment, check with your clinic before taking blood-moving herbs.