Could Your Painful Periods be Caused by Endometriosis?

Are your periods so painful that you sometimes miss a day of work, or, worse, special social events? Painful menstruation, called dysmenorrhea, can stem from several factors, one of which is endometriosis. The condition affects about 10% of women. 

FNP-C Letrice Mason with Her Down There specializes in women’s health. Our practice offers comprehensive and compassionate care. 

At Her Down There, we treat the root cause of your painful periods. If you’re diagnosed with endometriosis for period pain, we offer several effective treatments.

What is endometriosis? 

Your uterus has a lining called the endometrium. It supports an embryo if you get pregnant. If you don’t get pregnant, you shed the tissue, which becomes your menstrual flow. 

Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the endometrium grows outside of your uterus — an abnormal condition. Scientists aren’t entirely sure what causes endometriosis. 

The abnormal tissue could grow within your uterine wall, on your ovaries or fallopian tubes, or behind your uterus. In severe cases, it can spread to adjacent areas of your body, such as your diaphragm, bladder, or intestines. 

Why it’s important to treat endometriosis

Endometriosis is a progressive condition. It worsens over time without treatment. 

Endometriosis strikes young women during childbearing years. It’s one of the leading causes of infertility. Treating endometriosis improves your fertility, lessens your period pain, lowers your risk of serious complications such as bladder or bowel problems, and eases psychological symptoms of anxiety and depression. 

Effective conservative endometriosis treatments 

Although we don’t know what causes endometriosis, there are effective treatments. 

Hormonal birth control medications

An overabundance of estrogen can cause abnormal tissue to grow in and around your uterus, resulting in endometriosis. 

Hormonal birth control methods help reduce symptoms. This option stops your body from producing excess estrogen, which helps to prevent the growth of abnormal tissue. If you’re not planning to get pregnant soon, this is a good option that could help slow the progression of endometriosis. 

Combined hormonal birth control

The combined hormonal method, using both estrogen and progestin to reduce endometriosis symptoms, is a standard treatment. Your medication options include the birth control pill, the vaginal ring, and the patch. 

Progestin-only birth control

Progestin is a hormone that reduces tissue in the lining of your uterus. It lowers abnormal tissue growth and reduces endometriosis symptoms. You can choose the pill, an injection, an  IUD, or an implant.  

Medication

You likely already take ibuprofen for pain. We can provide prescription-strength naproxen to reduce your discomfort. 

You may need specialized medication that stops estrogen production — either oral GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone) agonists and antagonists or an injection. This type of medication would only be used for a few months because it puts your body in temporary menopause while relieving your symptoms. 

Aromatase inhibitors lower estrogen production also. This type of medication would be combined with hormones to be effective. 

Surgery for endometriosis 

If your pain and your other endometriosis symptoms aren’t controlled well by conservative treatment, FNP-C Mason refers you to a qualified surgeon who performs a laparoscopy to remove the abnormal tissue. 

Call or message our Houston, Texas office today if you have painful periods. Thanks to modern medicine today, you don’t have to suffer from this painful condition. We offer telemedicine from our office in Arlington, Texas.