a C-section,” Riley explains. “When we see that in patients, they’ll usually have more endometriosis in their pelvis.”
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Endometriosis treatment
Patients with painful endometriosis can help reclaim their lives by managing flare-ups at home and getting medical care, a specialist in women’s health assures.
Riley offered information about the condition that affects 1 in 9 women.
Definitive diagnosis happens with laparoscopy, a minimally invasive surgery using a long, skinny camera to look at the pelvic region. Surgeons will remove as much of the endometriosis as possible and do a biopsy.
It’s not uncommon for the endometriosis to return within a year after laparoscopic surgery, Riley adds.
Riley noted that women with endometriosis may have periods of remission.
“It’s hard to predict who will experience those pain-free intervals, and how long they will last,” she says. “It’s really important to manage the condition and be ready for the flare-ups.”
Other treatments include anti-inflammatory medication and hormone therapy.
Because stopping periods can decrease pain and inflammation, doctors may prescribe birth control pills, progesterone pills or progesterone intrauterine devices.
Endometriosis medications like Lupron Depot, which is injected every one to three months, or the oral medication Orilissa are options.
While many women who experience endometriosis may find relief, others may not if their pain is