Health Home > Women's Health > Other conditions with symptoms similar to endometriosis

Other conditions with symptoms similar to endometriosis

Healthwise
By Kathe Gallagher, MSW; Ralph Poore; Monica Rhodes

Did you find this helpful?

Rate this article:
50% of users found this article helpful.

Endometriosis symptoms are similar to the symptoms of many other diseases. Therefore, symptoms need to be investigated to confirm the diagnosis of endometriosis and to rule out other causes.

Possible causes of symptoms include:

  • Painful periods that are simply caused by pain-producing prostaglandins and cramps (primary dysmenorrhea). Prostaglandins normally increase around the time of your menstrual period.
  • Adenomyosis, a disease that occurs when the cells that normally line the uterus grow into the muscular tissue of the uterine wall.
  • Noncancerous tumors in the wall of the uterus (uterine fibroids).
  • Abnormal structure of the uterus.
  • Excessive growth of the lining of the uterus (endometrial hyperplasia). This is caused by a hormonal imbalance.
  • Noncancerous tumors growing out of the lining of the uterus (endometrial polyps).
  • Reproductive organ cancers.

Other conditions that can cause pelvic pain in women include:1

References

Citations

  1. Drinville JS, Memarzadeh S (2007). Benign disorders of the uterine corpus. In AH DeCherney et al., eds., Current Obstetric and Gynecologic Diagnosis and Treatment, 10th ed., pp. 639–653. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Credits

Author Kathe Gallagher, MSW
Author Ralph Poore
Author Monica Rhodes
Editor Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Editor Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC
Associate Editor Tracy Landauer
Associate Editor Pat Truman, MATC
Primary Medical Reviewer Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer Deborah A. Penava, BA, MD, FRCSC, MPH - Obstetrics and Gynecology
Last Updated August 1, 2007
Author:Kathe Gallagher, MSW
Ralph Poore
Monica Rhodes
Last Updated: 08/01/2007

Health Resources

help

Featured Expert

Yahoo! Experts share their tips and advice

Breast Cancer Chronicles

By Lillie Shockney, R.N., M.A.S.

See All Yahoo Experts »

Yahoo! Health Groups

Join the Conversation

Join a Yahoo! Group and discuss with other memebers in the group. Share tips and experiences

See All Yahoo Groups »

Tip of the Day

Provided by: RealAgeNov 5, 2009

Piling your favorite sandwich fixings on the right kind of bread could mean healthier blood pressure. The right choice? One hundred percent whole-grain.

Read More »

View All Tips »