Dysmenorrhoea and Endometriosis
- Diagnosis
The average age of onset of pain
symptoms in endometriosis is 20 years
old but the average age of diagnosis is
28. This is because many women ignore
the pain symptoms because they think
it must be normal and do not wish to
appear as if they are complaining or
doctors dismiss their complaints too
easily.
Your gynaecologist may suspect you
have endometriosis after asking about
your symptoms. Normally they will
arrange for you to have an ultrasound
scan which can diagnose endometriotic
cysts in ovaries. An expert endometriosis
scanner can detect severe endometriosis
in other areas also.
However, minimal to mild
endometriosis cannot be detected
by any test or scan. The only way to
diagnose it is to undergo a diagnostic
laparoscopy (keyhole surgery)
under general anaesthetic and to
see it directly. A gynaecologist who
specialises in endometriosis would then
aim to remove all visible endometriosis
at the same time.
If your doctor suspects or
finds you to have more
severe disease affecting
the bowels, bladder or
ureters, you may need
further specialist tests
to assess the problem
before it is removed.
