Endo Myths

• Endometriosis is just a period problem

  (in fact, it’s a whole body inflammatory disease)

• Endometriosis pain only occurs in your uterus during your period

  (in fact, it can occur in your rectum, bladder, legs and other areas of the pelvis. It can also occur at other times such as ovulation, during sex, after a pelvic examination and during a bowel movement. Some have pain all the time and others have no pain at all)

• Endometriosis is caused by retrograde menstruation - when menstrual fluid flows back through your Fallopian tubes and enters your pelvic cavity

  (in fact, researchers still don’t know what causes endometriosis. This old theory is losing validity as most women experience retrograde flow but not all develop endometriosis. A growing consensus amongst modern researchers is that endometrial tissue is embedded before birth and stimulated due to immune dysfunction in the system)

• Endometriosis is a lifestyle disease

  (in fact, you cannot cause endometriosis by something you do or something you eat. This was out of your control. However, you can certainly treat and control endometriosis with your diet and lifestyle)

• Endometriosis is a hormonal condition

  (in fact, estrogen worsens endometriosis by stimulating its growth, but it doesn’t cause it. This is because endometriosis is first of all an inflammatory disease)

• Endometriosis can be diagnosed by ultrasounds or blood tests

  (in fact, although the blood biomarker CA-125 and a Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis Scan can detect and support a diagnosis of endometriosis, unfortunately, the only way still to diagnose endometriosis conclusively is with laparoscopic surgery)

• Laparoscopic surgery is a cure for endometriosis

  (in fact, unfortunately, for most women (but not all!) endometriosis reoccurs at some stage after surgery)

• There is no other treatment approach for endometriosis apart from surgery, hormonal birth control and pain killers

  (in fact, diet, lifestyle, supplements and herbal medicines and therapies can treat the symptoms of endometriosis very effectively!)