When persistent pelvic pain and heavy periods interfere with your life, you may have a condition known as endometriosis. At Swor Women’s Care in Sarasota, Florida, Michael Swor, MD, FPMRS, and his staff offer innovative diagnostics and treatment options, including minimally invasive surgery, to alleviate pain and other symptoms related to endometriosis. Don’t ignore pelvic pain or excessive bleeding. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Swor online or by phone to learn more about treatment options for endometriosis.
Endometriosis is a disorder that results when your endometrium, or uterine tissue, starts growing outside of the uterus. Tissue develops on your fallopian tubes, ovaries, and throughout your pelvis. This tissue continues to function normally, thickening and breaking down each month during your menstrual cycle, but doesn’t have anywhere to exit your body.
Trapped tissue causes irritation and inflammation in the pelvic and surrounding tissues and can even affect your organs.
Endometriosis causes pain that can range from mild and irregular to constant and intense. Other common symptoms of endometriosis may include pain during sex or bowel movements and heavy bleeding during your period.
If left untreated, you can also experience difficulties getting pregnant due to excess tissue growth. You may also increase your risk for ovarian cancer.
Because the symptoms of endometriosis are similar to other health conditions, it’s important to get a diagnosis as soon as possible.
To confirm your pain is the result of endometriosis, your Swor Women’s Care provider performs a comprehensive pelvic examination, feeling for abnormalities on your reproductive organs. You may also need an ultrasound to get a better view of your endometrial tissue.
In some cases, Dr. Swor performs a laparoscopy procedure, in which he inserts a slender camera device in your vagina to get a closer look at your uterus and endometrial tissue. During this procedure, he may remove a small sample of tissue for further evaluation.
Initially, your provider may recommend over-the-counter pain and anti-inflammatory medications to relieve symptoms of endometriosis. They may also recommend birth control or hormone therapy to slow the growth of endometrial tissue.
If these therapies don’t work or you can’t tolerate hormones, Dr. Swor performs minimally invasive surgery to remove excess endometrial tissue through small incisions. In more advanced cases of endometriosis, Dr. Swor may recommend a hysterectomy to remove the uterus and prevent excess tissue growth. He only recommends this option if you’re done having children or if other treatment options aren’t working for you.
Find out more about available services for diagnosing and treating endometriosis by scheduling a consultation today at Swor Women’s Care online or by phone.
