This is a sponsored feature. All opinions are 100% from Her Campus.
Have you ever had a painful period before? The answer is probably yes, but sometimes this pain can be more than just the common symptoms of menstruation. If you suffer from pelvic pain and cramping before and days into your period, you could have something more serious. Endometriosis is a disorder where the tissue that lines the inside of the uterus grows outside of it. When endometriosis affects the ovaries specifically, cysts can form and irritate the surrounding tissue.
There are common symptoms that are involved with Endometriosis. This includes painful periods, pain with intercourse, pain in bowel movements or urination, or excessive bleeding. There are other symptoms which include fatigue, diarrhea, bloating or nausea usually during your period.
It is important to add, that severe pain does not always mean that you have endometriosis. People experience intense, little to no pain whatsoever. If you have been experiencing any of these symptoms but you don’t feel it’s “that serious,” do not rule out Endometriosis. You should always speak to your doctor about symptoms that you usually do not have that start to appear. Your health is essential to your being. Unfortunately, we normalize pain. We usually tell people to just take some over the counter pain relievers. If your symptoms seem to worsen, stay the same or change you should see a doctor. If you feel something is wrong and more than an Advil can fix, make an appointment!
If you do have endometriosis, you may be at a higher risk of infertility or Ovarian cancer. It is the most common cause of infertility and can be challenging to control. So an early diagnosis is better than a later one.
SpeakENDO, is a website that gives information about endometriosis, people living with it, how to get involved and resources. If you sign up for SpeakENDO, a donation is made to Endometriosis Foundation of America. There are quizzes you can take to see if you may be someone who has endometriosis.
There is a place on the website where you can hear from women living with Endometriosis. You can even share your own story! There are articles to manage, guide, and support you while living with Endometriosis.
This website isn’t just important to people living with it. Anyone with a menstrual cycle can find this website useful. It is about living and dealing with endometriosis, but also educating yourself and making sure you are healthy. There may even be people you know that have the common symptoms you’ve heard about. You can tell them to check out the website or see a doctor! Encourage your friends and family to take initiative when it comes to their health.
Let’s speak up about our pain and talk about endometriosis. Let’s SpeakENDO!