Endometriosis is a painful condition that affects many women in Lyndhurst and Westlake. As such, you should seek an endometriosis diagnosis and treatment in Cleveland if you are experiencing significant pain in your pelvic area. Our skilled gynecologist has great experience in helping women who are suffering from this disorder and creating effective treatment plans.
There is a special tissue that lines the inside of the uterus called endometrium. This is the tissue that thickens, hardens, and breaks down with each menstrual cycle.
Endometriosis occurs when a tissue similar to endometrium grows on the outside of your uterus. It too thickens, hardens, and breaks down. However, due to its location outside of the uterus, it remains trapped inside of the body.
This condition can occur in different parts of the pelvic region outside of the uterus, resulting in various complications. Endometriosis in the ovaries often results in cysts called endometriomas. In other areas of the pelvis, healthy tissue irritated by the endometriosis may transform into adhesive scar tissue. This scar tissue is sticky enough to force pelvic tissues and organs to start binding to one another.
A gynecologist in Cleveland could diagnose and treat endometriosis by evaluating the severity of its common and interrelated symptoms. Dysmenorrhea, the medical term for painful periods, is a common symptom of endometriosis. Signs of dysmenorrhea are early-onset menstrual cramping for up to several days before your menstrual period actually begins. Low back and abdominal-area pain is another indicator of dysmenorrhea. Other symptoms of this condition include:
When diagnosing endometriosis, our Cleveland OBGYN may use one or several of the following techniques to determine if you suffer from this condition.
Your doctor can palpate the pelvic region to identify scar tissue or cysts behind your uterus. Sometimes, however, it is impossible to identify early-stage endometriosis using this method.
Ultrasounds are useful for finding cysts that may otherwise go unnoticed during a standard pelvic exam. There are two types of ultrasound that may be used: abdominal and transvaginal.
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
Requesting an MRI is normally only done after several other probing techniques are already complete. It helps doctors ensure they have found all of the tissue and cysts before they plan your treatment.
Sometimes the best way to diagnose and identify endometriosis in your body is via surgical procedure. A surgeon may make a small incision in your abdomen and insert a tiny camera. This allows the surgeon to look for and identify scar tissue outside of your uterus. One of the main benefits of this options is that a surgeon can often treat the endometriosis during this procedure.
Your doctor will typically prescribe medication or recommend surgery to treat your endometriosis. Below are some of the most common treatments.
If you are experiencing serious pelvic pain, especially during your period, you do not have to keep living this way. You have many options for endometriosis diagnosis and treatment in Cleveland. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Gitiforooz in Lyndhurst or Westlake today, and she could help you determine what treatment options may be best for you.
Habibeh Gitiforooz, MD | HelloDrG
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