Advocate Condell physician has advice about Endometriosis

Endometriosis affects over 8.5 million North American women and teens, and nearly nearly 176 million worldwide, according to the Florida-based Endometriosis Research Center (ERC). Endometriosis is a painful reproductive and immunological disease.

March is Endometriosis Awareness Month. Eileen Morrison, M.D., an Advocate Condell Medical Center obstetrician/gynecologist, is urging women to become aware of the condition and its treatments.

“Endometriosis is a condition where the cells from the lining of the uterus have gotten out into the pelvis causing pain and inflammation,” Morrison said. “This can cause of blocking of the tubes and result in infertility. The pain can be all month long and particularly worse during the period.”

Often stigmatized as simply “killer cramps,” symptoms include painful periods, pelvic pain at any point in a woman or girl's cycle, infertility, pain with sexual activity, gastrointestinal and urinary tract difficulties and much more, the ERC says. The disease can even implant in areas like the lungs, diaphragm, and in some cases, even the brain.

Dr. Morrison says there are two ways to treat the condition. “It can be treated with medicine that can put women into a temporary menopause that shuts down the ovaries and shuts down the estrogen content that feeds the implants,” she said. “The other is laparoscopic surgery to remove the implants or cysts that have formed on the ovaries. It is best to talk with your doctor because treatment is very individualized.”

More information about endometriosis can be found on the ERC web site at endocenter.org.