Endometriosis occurs when endometrial tissue grows on your ovaries, bowel, and tissues lining your pelvis. It’s rare for endometrial tissue to spread beyond your pelvic region, but it’s not impossible. Endometrial tissue growing outside of your uterus is known as an endometrial implant.

The hormonal changes of your menstrual cycle affect the misplaced endometrial tissue, causing the area to become inflamed and painful. This means the tissue will grow, thicken, and break down. Over time, the tissue that has broken down has nowhere to go and becomes trapped in your pelvis.

This tissue trapped in your pelvis can cause: irritation; scar formation; adhesions, in which tissue binds your pelvic organs together; severe pain that occurs during the menstrual cycle; fertility problems

The exact cause of endometriosis isn’t known. There are several theories regarding the cause, although no one theory has been scientifically proven.

Women of all ages are at risk for endometriosis. It most commonly affects women in their 30s and 40s, but symptoms can begin at puberty.

The symptoms of endometriosis vary. Some people experience mild symptoms, but others can have moderate to severe symptoms. The severity of your pain does not indicate the degree or stage of the condition. You may have a mild form of the disease yet experience agonizing pain. It’s also possible to have a severe form and have very little discomfort.

It’s important to note that you may not experience any symptoms.

Pelvic pain is the most common symptom of endometriosis. You may also have the following symptoms: painful periods; cramps 1 or 2 weeks around menstruation; heavy menstrual bleeding or bleeding between periods; infertility; pain during sexual intercourse; discomfort with bowel movements; lower back pain that may occur at any time during your menstrual cycle.

Endometriosis has no cure, but its symptoms can be managed.

Medical and surgical options are available to help reduce your symptoms and manage any potential complications. Treatment options include: pain medications; hormone therapy; hormonal contraceptives; gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists and antagonists (to block the production of estrogen which stimulates the ovaries) and donazol (another medication used to stop menstruation).

Regarding conservative surgery, it is typically used for people who want to get pregnant or who experience severe pain and hormonal treatments are not working. The goal of conservative surgery is to remove or destroy endometrial growths without damaging the reproductive organs. Laparoscopy, a minimally invasive surgery, is used to both visualize and diagnose endometriosis. It is also used to remove the abnormal or displaced endometrial tissue.

Your doctor may recommend a total hysterectomy as a last resort if your condition does not improve with other treatments and they also remove the ovaries because these organs make estrogen, and estrogen can cause the growth of endometrial tissue.