Endometriosis is fairly common among women, but it can be hard to diagnose. Symptoms of endometriosis can overlap with symptoms common in other health conditions.
Take this quiz to determine how likely you are to have endometriosis. Answer each question withyesorno.
下载这张图表来跟踪你月经周期的症状。
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- Do you experience severe cramps before and during your period?
- Do you bleed more than you think is normal and for longer than seven days during your period?
- Do you experience pain during sexual intercourse?
- Have you tried to get pregnant for at least a year without any success?
- Do you have recurring gastrointestinal issues?
If you answered yes to having one or more of these symptoms, you may have endometriosis. Share your symptoms with your doctor and discuss the possibility of endometriosis.
What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis occurs when uterine tissue grows in places that aren’t the uterus.
“它可能在子宫外、输卵管或卵巢上，也可能在骨盆深处，”医学博士、OSF医疗保健的妇产科医生瓦妮莎·福斯特说。
因为子宫内膜异位症的组织在它不应该生长的地方生长，它通常与剧烈的疼痛有关。这种疼痛来自子宫内和子宫内膜异位症生长的所有区域的痉挛。此外，子宫内膜异位症通常会在体内留下疤痕组织，这也会导致疼痛。
“有时候，很难判断是不是子宫内膜异位症，因为每个人的痛阈都是不同的，”福斯特博士说。
Dr. Foster’s advice: “Don’t ignore the pain.”
Other symptoms
Heavy bleeding
生长在子宫外的子宫组织仍然具有正常子宫组织的功能——未怀孕的子宫组织每个月都会增厚和脱落。
这也意味着你每月的出血可能会更多。Going through more than one tampon or pad every two hours is a good indicator that your bleeding is heavier than it should be.
Painful sex
There are many reasons why you might experience pain during sex, but if you experience this in conjunction with some other key symptoms, it may point to endometriosis.
不管怎样，和你的医生谈谈，解决性爱的痛苦。它不应该是痛苦的，你可以做一些事情来减轻痛苦。
Infertility
Infertility among women with untreated or unmanaged endometriosis is high. About 24%- 50% of women experiencing infertility are likely suffering from endometriosis whether they know it or not.
“子宫内膜异位症影响着5%-15%的育龄妇女，其中大约三分之一会有不孕问题，”福斯特博士说。
如果你正在经历不孕，向你的医生提出子宫内膜异位症的可能性。
你和你的医生越早确定导致不孕的原因，你就能越早寻求可能的解决方案。
Gastrointestinal issues
Endometriosis can cause inflammation, which affects gastrointestinal function, especially if the uterine tissue is growing near the digestive tract. That’s why diarrhea, constipation, nausea and painful bowel movements may signal endometriosis.
Why is it so hard to diagnose endometriosis?
It takes an average of six to 10 years of experiencing symptoms before a woman usually gets diagnosed with endometriosis.
其中一个原因可能是诊断子宫内膜异位症非常困难。
“To definitively diagnose it, you have to have surgery,” Dr. Foster said.
It’s hard for doctors to justify surgery unless they are fairly certain endometriosis is the cause of the symptoms. That’s why Dr. Foster recommends keeping a detailed account of your menstrual cycle.
“The best thing is to keep a very detailed menstrual calendar,” she said. “Rank your pain level every day and write down your symptoms, such as when the pain started, how long it lasted and whether it came before or after the onset of bleeding.”