Treatment options
If you are suffering from endometriosis-associated symptoms then you probably should be treated. Treatment approaches ought to be tailored to your specific situation. Treatment breaks down into medical treatment and surgical treatment.
All treatments should take into consideration whether you are currently trying to become pregnant or not.
Personalised Treatment for Endometriosis
Endometriosis affects each individual differently, so treatment is tailored to your specific symptoms, their severity, and the location and extent of the disease. Your age, any desire to have children, and any contraindications to certain medications are also important factors in developing the right treatment plan.
Because endometriosis can cause a wide range of symptoms — including pelvic pain, painful bowel movements, pain when urinating, and, in rare cases, difficulty breathing — it's important to work closely with your healthcare provider to address the symptoms that impact you most and explore options for relief and management.
Medical Treatment for Endometriosis
Your doctor may decide with you to assume that you may have endometriosis and treat it medically without surgical proof. This is known as empirical treatment and is frequently done. If your symptoms stop or at least become much better it may indicate that endometriosis is present and you are correctly treated. Endometriosis is a disease driven by estrogen, the central female hormone.
As such, most medical therapies are hormone based. However, in most circumstances, hormones should not be given if you are trying for a baby. Medical therapy also encompasses specific pain medication and can often be a combination of drugs. If you do not get better, it does not rule out endometriosis, though, and your doctor might change the medication, discuss the surgical approach or refer you to a specialist in a different field. In general, your doctor should discuss the various options with you so that you can make an informed decision which approach to take.
Surgical treatment
Surgical treatment, which almost always means laparoscopic (key hole) surgery and not open surgery (laparotomy). This approach has the benefit of confirming or ruling out endometriosis. If you are having surgery, ideally your endometriosis should be treated at the same time. This can be done by removing, burning or evaporation the lesions. It is important to point out that endometriosis treatment, especially surgery, should be performed in a centre with vast experience in the field.
This is particularly true for endometriosis involving other organs such as the bowel, bladder and ureters as a multi-disciplinary approach involving bowel surgeons and/or urologist may be necessary. However, surgery is an invasive procedure and not entirely free of risks.
Fertility Treatment
While endometriosis is known to impair fertility, the underlying mechanisms are still not thoroughly understood. In couples presenting with infertility endometriosis though is not assumed to be the only cause. Subfertility is likely to be partially dependent on the extent of the disease as well as other factors so that couples which present with problems in conceiving undergo a detailed evaluation of contributing factors.
As no medical treatment can improve fertility in endometriosis patients, treatment options are narrowed down to surgical approaches. In women wishing to conceive fertility-sparing surgery of endometriosis should be intended.
Removal of endometriotic lesions can improve the pregnancy rate in endometriosis whereas in severe disease in vitro fertilisation (IVF) may be the treatment of choice. In rare cases and on individual basis medical treatment might be discussed prior to fertility treatment.
Related patient pages
What is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis affects an estimated 176 million women around the globe, causing many to suffer a life of pain and debilitation and sometimes infertility.
FENOX research study
FENOX is a prospective study that aims to improve our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of endometriosis and uterine fibroids and their associated symptoms by means of longitudinal observation and laboratory analyses.
What are Fibroids?
Fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the womb (uterus). The growths are made up of muscle and fibrous tissue, and vary in size. They're sometimes known as uterine myomas or leiomyomas. Many women are unaware they have fibroids because they don't have any symptoms.
How you can help
To help maximise the impact of the endometriosis research, we rely on the generous support of donors like you.
Your contribution is vital in advancing this research and driving meaningful discoveries.
