Endometriosis can elude diagnosis for years. What to know about the disease and new ways to find it
When Zoë Armstrong got an ultrasound report showing signs of endometriosis, she called her mom and cried. After years of suffering and seeking help from doctors, she finally had an answer.
Zoë Armstrong experienced a decade-long struggle with endometriosis symptoms before receiving a diagnosis at age 29. The chronic inflammatory disease causes tissue similar to uterine lining to grow outside the uterus, often leading to debilitating pain during menstruation, intercourse, and bowel movements. Symptoms can also include fatigue, bloating, and infertility.
Diagnosis often takes years due to patients and doctors normalizing period pain and overlapping symptoms with other conditions. Some countries have begun using new diagnostic tests, such as EndoSure, which measures electrical signals in the gut, and Endotest, which analyzes saliva for microRNAs. These tests are not yet available in the U.S., but may aid doctors in making an accurate diagnosis.
Treatment options include pain relievers, hormone therapies, and surgical procedures. Experts emphasize that these new tests should not replace existing diagnostic methods but could help speed up the diagnosis process.
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- Endometriosis can elude diagnosis for years. What to know about the disease and new ways to find it apnews.com
- Endometriosis can elude diagnosis for years. What to know about the disease and new ways to find it winnipegfreepress.com
- Endometriosis can elude diagnosis for years. What to know about the disease and new ways to find it toronto.citynews.ca
