Endometriosis Specialist

What is endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a gynecological condition in which your endometrial tissue, which is the tissue that lines your uterus, grows outside of the uterus. 

In most women with the condition, the endometrial tissue grows on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and/or outer surface of the uterus. But the endometrial tissue can grow on other areas of your body, including your bowel and rectum, as well as your bladder and vagina. 

What are the symptoms of endometriosis?

Pain, especially during menstruation, is the most common symptom of endometriosis. But you may also experience gastrointestinal distress, the most common manifestation of endometriosis, such as:

• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Abdominal pain
• Straining during bowel movements
• Rectal bleeding

These symptoms are very similar to the symptoms caused by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), obscuring the causative underlying condition. However, with endometriosis, you may only experience these symptoms during menstruation. Pain during intercourse and infertility are also symptoms of endometriosis. 

What methods can diagnose endometriosis?

Endometriosis is difficult to diagnose. Your gynecologist may need to conduct various diagnostic tests, such as an ultrasound or MRI, to rule out other causes of your abdominal pain before concluding that you have endometriosis. These studies can often be negative but still not ruling out endometriosis.

Dr.Orbuch works with experts in the field of gynecological surgery who add to the efforts at identifying endometriosis.The only definitive way to determine that you have endometriosis is through a laparoscopy, which is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a small surgical camera to closely evaluate your abdominal area and reproductive organs. 

During your laparoscopy, your doctor takes a sample of tissue to confirm that you have endometriosis.  

What are the treatments for endometriosis?

Your gynecologist may prescribe hormonal birth control to help reduce the growth of your endometrial tissue and the related symptoms. But the primary treatment for endometriosis is surgery. 

While your gynecologist may remove the tissue that’s affecting your reproductive organs, if you have endometrial tissue on your digestive tract, your doctor can perform surgery to remove the section of the affected bowel.

If only a small section of your bowel is affected, they may be able to remove only the endometrial tissue without the need to resect any portion of your bowel.

Once removed, with the proper medications, endometrial tissue is less likely to grow back, and many women have the gastrointestinal symptoms subside and are more likely to be able to get pregnant following the surgery. 

Endometriosis is a gynecological condition that can affect your gastrointestinal tract. To discuss all of your options for your endometriosis, contact SoHo Gastroenterology: Dr. Murray Orbuch, MD, by phone or online today to schedule a consultation.