Endometriosis

Before you consent to any surgery, you should be well informed about what to expect. To learn the differences between a subtotal hysterectomy, a total hysterectomy (simple hysterectomy), and a radical hysterectomy, see The Illustration at this site.

Pain Medication. For some women with mild symptoms, doctors may suggest taking over-the-counter medicines for pain. These include: ibuprofen (Advil and Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve).

Hormone Treatment. When pain medicine is not enough, doctors often recommend hormone medicines to treat endometriosis. Only women who do not wish to become pregnant can use these drugs. Hormone treatment is best for women with small growths who don't have bad pain.

There is no cure for endometriosis, but there are some treatment options to reduce pain, shrink or slow endometrial growths, make pregnancy possible, and delay recurrence of the disease. The options discussed include: pain medication, hormonal drugs, surgery, and alternative medicine therapy.