Endometriosis

Diagnosis

The doctor will review your symptoms, your medical and gynecological history and any family history of endometriosis. This will be followed by a brief physical examination and a thorough pelvic examination. In some cases, during the pelvic examination, your doctor may be able to feel small islands of endometrial tissue embedded in the ligaments of your pelvis. The doctor also may be able to feel abnormalities in the position of your pelvic organs or how freely they may be moved that are related to the presence of endometriosis. An ovarian endometrioma may be felt during the pelvic exam.

To confirm the diagnosis, your doctor may need to do pelvic laparoscopic surgery to identify islands of endometrial tissue inside your pelvis or abdomen, and to remove abnormal tissue so that it can be examined under a microscope. In laparoscopic surgery, doctors operate through two or three tiny incisions instead of one large incision as in traditional surgery.

Expected Duration

Without treatment, endometriosis is a long-term problem that usually lasts until menopause. At that time, areas of misplaced endometrial tissue tend to become smaller as levels of female hormones decrease.