Misdiagnosis of Endometriosis

Why is endometriosis often misdiagnosed?

There is a multitude of misdiagnosis that doctors will assign to endometriosis. This is primarily because endometriosis is a complex disorder that can often mask itself as other conditions, due to its similar symptoms to said disorders. There is also little known about the disease to the common public, including the average physician. This is not a matter of a good or bad doctor, but rather a lack of knowledge and experience in the medical community when it comes to diagnosing endometriosis. This ultimately shows that the battle against endometriosis is as much an awareness issue as it is medical, thus proving the great need for continued research. 

What are the common misdiagnoses of endometriosis?

Endometriosis may masquerade as other disorders such as:

• Appendicitis
• Ovarian cysts
• Bowel obstruction
• Colon cancer
• Diverticulitis
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Fibroids
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Ovarian Cancer
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Sexually transmitted disease

Do medications and procedures such as hysterectomies cure endometriosis?

Unfortunately, women and girls often try to "manage" the pain for years with painkillers and other medications, but these only mask symptoms of the disease. While these are not poor methods for pain control, patients are often led to believe that they are cures for their disease, which is false. Even worse, when these medications are not effective, patients are sometimes misled to believe that the only long-term solution is the removal of all female reproductive organs - a myth. Procedures such as hysterectomies and oophorectomies should never be seen as a cure for endometriosis, but rather as a last resort of treatment only needed if necessary. This dangerous misconception in the medical field is responsible for countless, needless hysterectomies performed each year. It must stop.