Endometriosis or endo, is a chronic disease where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) grows or implants in other areas of the body, most commonly within the pelvic cavity. This can cause scar tissue to form and inflammation in the pelvic area, or wherever the endo lesions have grown.

Endo can cause severe pelvic, abdominal or back pain, and is associated with life-impacting pain. It is not understood fully what causes endometriosis, however there are some theories such as; cellular metaplasia (where one type of cell, changes into another type of cell), retrograde menstruation (where menstrual blood, which contains the endometrial cells, flows backwards through the fallopian tubes, into the pelvic cavity, where blood is also flowing out through the cervix and vagina), or an immune response in involved with stem cells and white blood cells ineffectively clearing the diseased cells.

The symptoms of endometriosis can differ for each person affected, making it difficult at times for clinicians to suspect endometriosis. People with endometriosis may also have no symptoms at all of the disease.

Symptoms include:

- pain with periods (dysmenorrhea)

- pain during or after intercourse (dyspareunia)

- pain with urination (dysuria)

- pain with bowel movements (dyschezia)

- chronic pelvic pain

- heavy bleeding between or during periods

- nausea

- bloating

- fatigue

- infertility

- mental health impacts: depression or anxiety

Endometriosis is diagnosed routinely through a key-hole surgery (laparoscopy) where endometriosis is found, cut out and tested (biopsy and histopathology). There have been great advances in the development of ultrasound technology, and as such, ultrasound is beginning to also be used in the diagnosis of endometriosis, to work towards a less invasive method of diagnosis.

- excision surgery

- pelvic physiotherapy

- acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine

- naturopathy

- hormonal contraceptives and devices (e.g. contraceptive pill, intra-uterine device)

- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS)

- pain relief medications (analgesia)

- anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle

- osteopathy

- IVF or fertility treatments where fertility is impacted