Endometriosis Specialist
Endometriosis is a condition in which cells similar to those of the lining of your uterus abnormally grow elsewhere in your body. It affects approximately 200 million women worldwide and can cause pain, infertility, and problems with intimacy. If you have endometriosis or suspect that you do, seek treatment from expert OB/GYN Dr. Aiman Shilad at One Oak Medical, practicing at the offices in Wayne, Paramus, and Clifton, New Jersey. Call or book an appointment online today to have your endometriosis diagnosed and treated.
Endometriosis Q & A
What are the symptoms of endometriosis?
The abnormal uterine cells of endometriosis can attach to any of your reproductive organs, including your ovaries and fallopian tubes, as well as spaces between the bladder and vagina, the intestines, bowel, and rectum.
In many cases, endometriosis has no overt symptoms, but you may have endometriosis if you experience any of the following:
- Pelvic pain that’s especially bad during your period
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Infertility
- Irregular and heavy periods
- Pain during bowel movements or urination
How is endometriosis diagnosed?
The pattern of your symptoms and a physical exam can sometimes give Dr. Shilad enough information to diagnose endometriosis, but laparoscopic surgery and biopsy is the only way to confirm the diagnosis. Imaging tests are inconclusive, and no blood test can detect the condition.
The cause of endometriosis is unknown, and most cases of endometriosis are diagnosed in women between the ages of 25-35.
How is endometriosis treated?
Pain and irregular bleeding are sometimes manageable with medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS) and ones that control your hormones like the pill, progestins, and androgens. Dr. Shilad may recommend surgery when your symptoms are severe or don’t respond well to noninvasive therapies.
Surgery may be conservative, meaning the uterus and other reproductive tissue are preserved, or definitive, which involves removal of the uterus and possibly the ovaries. Dr. Shilad usually performs the surgery laparoscopically.
Does endometriosis cause infertility?
Endometriosis occurs more commonly among infertile women, but it doesn’t necessarily cause infertility.
However, many women with endometriosis go on to have children without difficulty, but active endometriosis may create scars that distort your normal reproductive structures and make pregnancy difficult. Plus, the endometrial tissue may release inflammatory compounds that inhibit ovulation, fertilization, and implantation of an egg.
Surgery to resolve endometriosis can help make pregnancy more likely. Approximately two-thirds of women with mild to moderate cases of the disease go on to conceive within three years without any specific fertility treatments.
If you have pelvic pain, discomfort during intercourse, irregular menstrual bleeding, or infertility, call to schedule an endometriosis workup with One Oak Medical or book a consultation online today.