{"id":25251,"date":"2023-03-13T07:00:09","date_gmt":"2023-03-13T07:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=25251"},"modified":"2025-03-24T19:06:23","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T19:06:23","slug":"your-pain-is-real-doctors-advocate-for-endometriosis-awareness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/your-pain-is-real-doctors-advocate-for-endometriosis-awareness\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Your pain is real\u2019 \u2014 doctors advocate for endometriosis awareness","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

On average, it takes seven years before a patient living with endometriosis symptoms receives a definitive diagnosis. Oftentimes, the disorder hadn\u2019t even crossed their mind.<\/p>\n

Endometriosis is not mentioned enough as we grow up, says Kate Statz, DO, FACOOG<\/a>, obstetrics and gynecology provider at MultiCare Rockwood Clinic<\/a>. Teens may not realize it\u2019s unusual to miss school every month because of their period.<\/p>\n

In many cases, endometriosis isn\u2019t identified until it\u2019s causing severe symptoms or interfering with other aspects of a person\u2019s health.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a large percentage of our infertility patients, endometriosis is the cause,\u201d says Lacey Marks, MD, FACOG,<\/a> obstetrics and gynecology provider at MultiCare Rockwood Clinic. \u201cIt\u2019s a disease mostly of reproductive age women \u2026 it would be nice to have those conversations much sooner.\u201d<\/p>\n

What is endometriosis?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Endometriosis is a disorder in which intrauterine tissue grows outside the uterus on the ovaries, fallopian tubes or surrounding pelvic areas. Over time and with nowhere to go during the menstrual cycle, it forms into scar tissue.<\/p>\n

The most common symptoms include pain, heavy periods, infertility or gastrointestinal problems. Symptoms can range from nonexistent to severe. The extent of the endometriosis doesn\u2019t dictate how severe symptoms will be \u2014 you could have extensive scar tissue with no pain, and vice versa.<\/p>\n

When should I see a doctor?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Just as we track our cycles, Dr. Marks says, it\u2019s important to watch our symptoms over time, too. Those without endometriosis may report heavy periods or intense cramps that dissipate between cycles. But people with endometriosis are more likely to experience a continual worsening of symptoms, to the point that they\u2019re having pain between cycles.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re at a one or two on pain all the time, then nine or 10 with your period,\u201d she says. \u201cOr you\u2019ll notice the pain deep in the pelvis during sex \u2026 that\u2019s most often the endometriosis growing and getting larger.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On average, it takes seven years before a patient living with endometriosis symptoms receives a definitive diagnosis. Oftentimes, the disorder hadn\u2019t even crossed their mind. Endometriosis is not mentioned enough as we grow up, says Kate Statz, DO, FACOOG, obstetrics and gynecology provider at MultiCare Rockwood Clinic. Teens may not realize it\u2019s unusual to miss […]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":115,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[87,99,115],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nutrition-wellness","category-primary-care","category-womens-health"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\u2018Your pain is real\u2019 \u2014 doctors advocate for endometriosis awareness - MultiCare Vitals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"On average, it takes seven years before a patient living with endometriosis symptoms receives a definitive diagnosis.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/your-pain-is-real-doctors-advocate-for-endometriosis-awareness\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u2018Your pain is real\u2019 \u2014 doctors advocate for endometriosis awareness MultiCare Vitals -\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"On average, it takes seven years before a patient living with endometriosis symptoms receives a definitive diagnosis.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/your-pain-is-real-doctors-advocate-for-endometriosis-awareness\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MultiCare Vitals\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/multicarehealthsystem\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-03-13T07:00:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-03-24T19:06:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/derwl0zbi\/image\/upload\/v1678491967\/mc-prd\/iStock-1286693128.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1434\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Samantha Malott\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"\u2018Your pain is real\u2019 \u2014 doctors advocate for endometriosis awareness MultiCare Vitals -\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2023\/03\/iStock-1286693128-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@shannonwhitley\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/updates-www.mccdn.io\\\/vitals\\\/your-pain-is-real-doctors-advocate-for-endometriosis-awareness\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/updates-www.mccdn.io\\\/vitals\\\/your-pain-is-real-doctors-advocate-for-endometriosis-awareness\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Samantha Malott\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/updates-www.mccdn.io\\\/vitals\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/1237b5d541a93eafc81ff7120cc031ab\"},\"headline\":\"\u2018Your pain is real\u2019 \u2014 doctors advocate for endometriosis awareness\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-03-13T07:00:09+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-03-24T19:06:23+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/updates-www.mccdn.io\\\/vitals\\\/your-pain-is-real-doctors-advocate-for-endometriosis-awareness\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":329,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/updates-www.mccdn.io\\\/vitals\\\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Nutrition & Wellness\",\"Primary Care\",\"Women's Health\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/updates-www.mccdn.io\\\/vitals\\\/your-pain-is-real-doctors-advocate-for-endometriosis-awareness\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/updates-www.mccdn.io\\\/vitals\\\/your-pain-is-real-doctors-advocate-for-endometriosis-awareness\\\/\",\"name\":\"\u2018Your pain is real\u2019 \u2014 doctors advocate for endometriosis awareness - 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