For those of you living without endometriosis, consider yourselves incredibly lucky. It can be hard to understand and empathize with the pain someone else endures, especially in the context of an affliction such as endometriosis, where women are often suffering in silence. To be fair, most people have no clue just how severely endometriosis can affect someone, let alone the pain it can cause. So just exactlywhat is endometriosis pain like?
To put it bluntly, living with the disorder can be absolutely awful. Endometriosis is the abnormal growth of endometrial tissue (the stuff that lines the uterus) in places outside of the uterus, such as the ovaries, the fallopian tubes, and the surface of the uterus. This leads to incredible sensitivity and pain for women that can last for the duration of a period, or can even be a source of constant pain. One in 10 women are afflicted with this painful disease (that's around 170 million women, BTW), although many estimate the number to be much higher due to misdiagnoses and repressed concerns.
Endometriosis, though not usually life-threatening, is an incredibly painful and largely undiscussed affliction, the pain of which is only increased by the levels of misunderstanding that surround it. Here are six realities of endometriosis that you face when living with the disorder.
06
It Even Hurts When You Pee
If you have endometriosis, something as simple as peeing can be incredibly painful. This is one of the symptoms that should tip you off that it's not just painful cramps that you should "get over," despite what your family members or friends may unwittingly tell you.
Other symptoms to watch out for include long, heavy periods, hot flashes, chronic and severe fatigue, bloody urine, and diarrhea. If you're struggling with any of these symptoms yourself, be sure to consult with your doctor to get the best treatment possible for your body.