Endometriosis
Tissue similar to the womb lining growing elsewhere, causing severe pain.
About this condition
Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows outside it, commonly on the ovaries, pelvic lining, bowel or bladder. It causes severe period pain, pain during or after sex, pelvic pain between periods, bowel and bladder symptoms, heavy bleeding, profound fatigue and, for some, difficulty conceiving.
It affects around 1 in 10 women of reproductive age in the UK, and diagnosis still takes years on average. Treatment involves hormonal suppression, pain management and, where appropriate, specialist excision surgery. Pain frequently persists after surgery because central pain sensitisation develops, and that is a distinct problem needing its own attention.
Treatments people usually try first
These are the treatments commonly offered in the UK for this condition. A specialist doctor will want to know which of them you have tried, and what happened.
- Combined hormonal contraception or progestogens
- Hormonal coil or GnRH analogues with add back therapy
- Anti inflammatory medicines and paracetamol
- Laparoscopic excision or ablation surgery
- Pelvic health physiotherapy
- Specialist endometriosis centre and pain clinic referral
Could medical cannabis be appropriate?
People with this condition sometimes ask whether medical cannabis could be appropriate for them. That is a question for a specialist doctor, who will look at your diagnosis, your history and everything you have already tried before saying anything either way.
Medical cannabis is an unlicensed prescription only medicine in the UK. It is considered only where a diagnosed condition has not responded adequately to conventional treatment, and it is never a first step. We cannot tell you in advance what might be prescribed, and UK law does not allow us to describe or advertise any medicine on this website.
What we can do is assess you properly and be honest with you. If a specialist doctor does not think this route is right for you, they will say so, and they will explain why.
All treatment is subject to clinical assessment and eligibility.
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