Diagnosis - Endometriosis

Endometriosis can be difficult to diagnose. Symptoms of endometriosis can be similar to or the same as other conditions.

For example:

• adenomyosis
• conditions that affect your bones, joints, ligaments, skeletal muscles or tendons
• fibromyalgia - a long-term condition that causes pain all over your body
• pelvic inflammatory disease - an infection that affects your womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries
• conditions that affect your bowel, such as irritable bowel syndrome

What to expect

Your GP will ask about your symptoms and medical history. Give them as much information as you can. Keeping a symptom diary can be helpful.

Your GP may ask to do a physical examination (including an internal vaginal exam). This to check your tummy (abdomen) and your pelvic area.

If your GP thinks you have endometriosis, they may offer medicines to help relieve your symptoms. If medicines help, you may not need to have further tests.

You do not need an endometriosis diagnosis before starting treatment.

Medicines for endometriosis

Further tests

If medicines do not help, your GP may arrange further tests or refer you to a specialist called a gynaecologist.

These tests may help look for signs of endometriosis.

They include:

• an ultrasound scan - this may be done from outside your tummy or inside your vagina
• an MRI scan
• a procedure called a laparoscopy (keyhole surgery) - where a surgeon passes a thin tube through a small cut in your tummy

A laparoscopy can also be used to treat endometriosis.

Surgery for endometriosis

Stages of endometriosis

Endometriosis is usually described as:

• minimal (stage I) - you have a few spots of endometriosis (implants) and minimal scar tissue
• mild (stage II) - you have more implants of endometriosis that are slightly deeper and some adhesions
• moderate (stage III) - you have multiple deep implants, small endometriomas (chocolate cysts) on your ovaries and adhesions
• severe (stage IV) - you have large areas of deep implants, large edomentriomas on your ovaries, dense adhesions and potential spreading to organs, like your bowel or bladder

Improving endometriosis care

Find out about our plans to improve endometriosis care in the National Framework for the Management of Endometriosis in Ireland.