your doctor may advise you not to delay having children because your condition may worsen with time.
Cancer
Ovarian cancer occurs at higher than expected rates in women with endometriosis, however, the overall lifetime risk of ovarian cancer is low, to begin with.
Endometriosis-associated adenocarcinoma can also develop later in life in women who have endometriosis, however, it is rare.
Getting diagnosed
It takes an average of seven to 10 years for a woman to get a confirmed diagnosis, mainly because there is no noninvasive test for endometriosis.
“We can try an MRI or ultrasound, but most of the time patients with endometriosis have normal pelvic imaging,” Riley shares. Research is underway to develop diagnostic blood tests, but for now, a definitive diagnosis can only come from laparoscopy. That’s a minimally invasive surgery in which doctors use a long, skinny camera to examine the pelvis.
RELATED: This Minimally Invasive Procedure Could Possibly Save Your Life
However, treatment can begin before doctors confirm the disease.
Among the treatments are anti-inflammatories; suppressing menstruation with a birth control or progesterone pill or intrauterine device; other hormonal treatments; nerve pain drugs or endometriosis-specific medications, and laparoscopic surgery to remove abnormal tissue.
Most patients Riley sees for endometriosis are in their 30s and 40s, but some are in their teens and their 50s.
“In most patients, the pain gets better after menopause, but a small percentage will continue to have pain,” she notes.
When to see a doctor
If you have signs and symptoms that may indicate endometriosis, consult with your doctor.
Endometriosis can be a challenging condition to manage. However, an early diagnosis, a multidisciplinary medical team and an understanding of your diagnosis will help you better manage your symptoms.