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Thinking about trying physiotherapy for endometriosis pain? Here’s what to expect

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-stubbs-1531259">Peter Stubbs</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/caroline-wanderley-souto-ferreira-1563754">Caroline Wanderley Souto Ferreira</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a></em></p> <p>Endometriosis is a condition that affects women and girls. It occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus ends up in other areas of the body. These areas <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/endometriosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354656">include</a> the ovaries, bladder, bowel and digestive tract.</p> <p>Endometriosis will <a href="https://endometriosisaustralia.org/understanding-endometriosis/">affect</a> nearly one million Australian women and girls in their lifetime. Many high-profile Australians are affected by endometriosis including <a href="https://www.endofound.org/bindi-irwin-shares-her-endometriosis-story-in-detail-as-she-prepares-to-receive-endofounds-blossom-a">Bindi Irwin</a>, <a href="https://www.endofound.org/actress-sophie-monk-reveals-endometriosis-diagnosis">Sophie Monk</a> and former Yellow Wiggle, <a href="https://endometriosisaustralia.org/emma-watkins-ambassador/">Emma Watkins</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867421005766">Symptoms</a> of endometriosis include intense pelvic, abdominal or low back pain (that is often worse during menstruation), bladder and bowel problems, pain during sex and infertility.</p> <p>But women and girls wait an average of <a href="https://www.epworth.org.au/newsroom/reducing-time-to-an-endometriosis-diagnosis">seven years to receive a diagnosis</a>. Many are living with the burden of endometriosis and not receiving treatments that could improve their quality of life. This includes physiotherapy.</p> <h2>How is endometriosis treated?</h2> <p>No treatments cure endometriosis. Symptoms can be reduced by taking <a href="https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/endometri/conditioninfo/treatment">medications</a> such as non-steriodal anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen, aspirin or naproxen) and hormonal medicines.</p> <p>Surgery is sometimes used to diagnose endometriosis, remove endometrial lesions, reduce pain and improve fertility. But these lesions can <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39098538/">grow back</a>.</p> <p>Whether they take medication or have surgery, many women and girls continue to experience pain and other symptoms.</p> <p>Pelvic health physiotherapy is <a href="https://australian.physio/inmotion/physiotherapists-can-help-endometriosis">often recommended</a> as a non-drug management technique to manage endometriosis pain, <a href="https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2024/january-february/endometriosis">in consultation</a> with a gynaecologist or general practitioner.</p> <p>The goal of physiotherapy treatment depends on the symptoms but is usually to reduce and manage pain, improve ability to do activities, and ultimately improve quality of life.</p> <h2>What could you expect from your first appointment?</h2> <p>Physiotherapy management can differ based on the severity and location of symptoms. Prior to physical tests and treatments, your physiotherapist will comprehensively explain what is going to happen and seek your permission.</p> <p>They will ask questions to better understand your case and specific needs. These will include your age, weight, height as well as the presence, location and intensity of symptoms.</p> <p>You will also be asked about the history of your period pain, your first period, the length of your menstrual cycle, urinary and bowel symptoms, sexual function and details of any previous treatments and tests.</p> <p>They may also assess your posture and movement to see how your muscles have changed because of the related symptoms.</p> <p>They will press on your lower back and pelvic muscles to spot painful areas (trigger points) and muscle tightness.</p> <p>If you consent to a vaginal examination, the physiotherapist will use one to two gloved fingers to assess the area inside and around your vagina. They will also test your ability to coordinate, contract and relax your pelvic muscles.</p> <h2>What type of treatments could you receive?</h2> <p>Depending on your symptoms, your physiotherapist may use the following treatments:</p> <p><strong>General education</strong></p> <p>Your physiotherapist will give your details about the disease, pelvic floor anatomy, the types of treatment and how these can improve pain and other symptoms. They might <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38452219/">teach you about</a> the changes to the brain and nerves as a result of being in long-term pain.</p> <p>They will provide guidance to improve your ability to perform daily activities, including getting quality sleep.</p> <p>If you experience pain during sex or difficulty using tampons, they may teach you how to use vaginal dilators to improve flexibility of those muscles.</p> <p><strong>Pelvic muscle exercises</strong></p> <p>Pelvic muscles often contract too hard as a result of pain. <a href="https://www.physio-pedia.com/Pelvic_Floor_Exercises">Pelvic floor exercises</a> will help you contract and relax muscles appropriately and provide an awareness of how hard muscles are contracting.</p> <p>This can be combined with machines that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7843943/">monitor muscle activity or vaginal pressure</a> to provide detailed information on how the muscles are working.</p> <p><strong>Yoga, stretching and low-impact exercises</strong></p> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27869485/">Yoga</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37467936/">stretching and low impact aerobic exercise</a> can improve fitness, flexibility, pain and blood circulation. These have <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28369946/">general pain-relieving properties</a> and can be a great way to contract and relax bigger muscles affected by long-term endometriosis.</p> <p>These exercises can help you regain function and control with a gradual progression to perform daily activities with reduced pain.</p> <p><strong>Hydrotherapy (physiotherapy in warm water)</strong></p> <p>Performing exercises in water improves blood circulation and muscle relaxation due to the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4049052/">pressure and warmth of the water</a>. Hydrotherapy allows you to perform aerobic exercise with low impact, which will reduce pain while exercising.</p> <p>However, while hydrotherapy shows positive results clinically, scientific studies to show its effectiveness studies <a href="https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12619001611112">are ongoing</a>.</p> <p><strong>Manual therapy</strong></p> <p>Women frequently have small areas of muscle that are tight and painful (trigger points) inside and outside the vagina. Pain can be temporarily reduced by <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37176750/">pressing, massaging or putting heat on</a> the muscles.</p> <p>Physiotherapists can teach patients how to do these techniques by themselves at home.</p> <h2>What does the evidence say?</h2> <p>Overall, patients report <a href="https://www.wmhp.com.au/blog/endo-story">positive experiences</a> pelvic health physiotherapists treatments. In a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37176750/">study of 42 women</a>, 80% of those who received manual therapy had “much improved pain”.</p> <p>In studies investigating yoga, one study <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27869485/">showed</a> pain was reduced in 28 patients by an average of 30 points on a 100-point pain scale. Another study showed yoga was beneficial for pain in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27552065/">all 15 patients</a>.</p> <p>But while some studies show this treatment <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36571475/">is effective</a>, a review <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9740037/">concluded</a> more studies were needed and the use of physiotherapy was “underestimated and underpublicised”.</p> <h2>What else do you need to know?</h2> <p>If you have or suspect you have endometriosis, consult your gynaecologist or GP. They may be able to suggest a pelvic health physiotherapist to help you manage your symptoms and improve quality of life.</p> <p>As endometriosis is a chronic condition you <a href="https://www9.health.gov.au/mbs/fullDisplay.cfm?type=item&amp;q=10960">may be entitled</a> to five subsidised or free sessions per calendar year in clinics that accept Medicare.</p> <p>If you go to a private pelvic health physiotherapist, you won’t need a referral from a gynaecologist or GP. Physiotherapy rebates can be available to those with private health insurance.</p> <p>The Australian Physiotherapy Association has a <a href="https://choose.physio/find-a-physio">Find a Physio</a> section where you can search for women’s and pelvic physiotherapists. <a href="https://endometriosisaustralia.org/">Endometriosis Australia</a> also provides assistance and advice to women with Endometriosis.</p> <p><em>Thanks to UTS Masters students Phoebe Walker and Kasey Collins, who are researching physiotherapy treatments for endometriosis, for their contribution to this article.</em><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/236328/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-stubbs-1531259">Peter Stubbs</a>, Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/caroline-wanderley-souto-ferreira-1563754">Caroline Wanderley Souto Ferreira</a>, Visiting Professor of Physiotherapy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/thinking-about-trying-physiotherapy-for-endometriosis-pain-heres-what-to-expect-236328">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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Grace Tame reveals unexpected health diagnosis

<p>After years of dismissing her symptoms, including chronic pelvic pain and vomiting, Grace Tame has revealed that she has endometriosis. </p> <p>Tame, an activist for survivors of sexual assault, is among the one in nine Australian women and girls who suffer from the debilitating disease, which mostly affects the reproductive organs. </p> <p>She announced the news in an Instagram post on Tuesday morning and revealed that she underwent surgery to remove the endometriosis from her bowel, pelvic walls and sacral ligaments on May 24.</p> <p>The former Australian of the Year, initially ignored the symptoms thinking it was due to her traumatic experiences of child sex abuse that she endured when she was 15-years-old, but only recently discovered the actual cause of her pain. </p> <p>"It’s easy to fall into the trap of internalising trauma to our detriment," she said.</p> <p>"I always assumed persistent sexual abuse alone caused my chronic pelvic pain, and learned to disassociate from most of it.</p> <p>"The episodes of violent sickness I put down to food poisoning. That is, until the end of 2022, when I began vomiting weekly into early 2023.</p> <p>"After negative screenings for Crohn’s, coeliac and IBD, my cousin Morgan encouraged me to see a gynaecologist for the first time in over a decade."</p> <p>She added that her gynaecologist suspected endo, and later on confirmed <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">the diagnosis </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">in a laparoscopic operation.</span></p> <p>"Surgery went smoothly, and as I write this, I can’t help but feel extremely grateful to be where I am, even if removal isn’t the panacea for this disease,” she said, hoping to raise more awareness for the disease.</p> <p>“Grateful knowing, in the absence of both prevention and cure, there are still options, and we’re not alone," she said. </p> <p>She also added that she was grateful for the support of her friends and family, and for being able to afford and access treatment. </p> <p>According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), there were 40,500 endometriosis-related hospitalisations in 2021–22, with this rate doubling in the past decade. </p> <p>In May's federal budget, the government announced a $49.1m investment into tackling endometriosis. </p> <p>From July 1, 2025, women suffering from endometriosis will have longer specialist consultations of 45 minutes or more covered under Medicare.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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Australian Idol host opens up on painful health battle

<p>Australian Idol host and singer Ricki-Lee Coulter has revealed that she has been battling endometriosis for over a decade. </p> <p>The 38-year-old took to Instagram to share the process that led her diagnosis, straight from the hospital bed, following her laparoscopy and excision surgery. </p> <p>"For over a decade I’ve been dealing with chronic pain that has progressively gotten worse,” she began the post. </p> <p>“Anyone with endometriosis knows it takes a long time to get to the point where you have surgery and can get any kind of diagnosis — and that you have to advocate for yourself and keep pushing for answers.</p> <p>“Over the years I have seen so many doctors and specialists, and have been down so many different paths to try to figure out what was going on — and for so long I thought the pain was just something I had to deal with.</p> <p>“But the past couple of years, it has become almost unbearable and is something I’ve been dealing with every single day.</p> <p>“I met with a new GP at the start of the year, who referred me to a new specialist, and we went through all the measures that have been taken to try to get to the bottom of this pain — and the only option left was surgery.</p> <p>“So this week I had a laparoscopy and excision surgery — and they removed all the endometriosis they found, and I can only hope that is the end of the pain.</p> <p>“I’m now at home recovering and feeling good. Rich is taking very good care of me xxx," she ended the post.</p> <p>She also shared a few photos after her surgery, and of her recovering at home. </p> <p>One in nine women suffer from endometriosis, a condition where the  tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the womb, which sometimes moves to other areas of the body. </p> <p>Friends and followers shared their support in the comments, with reality TV star and fellow endo-warrior Angie Kent saying: “Sending you lots of love! You’re not alone in this — it’s a marathon not a sprint, unfortunately.</p> <p>“But there’s an amazing chronic invisible illness sista-hood out here! I hope you have a good support system with the recovery including an amazing women’s health practitioner.”</p> <p>“Sending lots of love,” Sunrise host Natalie Barr added. </p> <p>“Sending you so much love. Been where you are now and it gets so much better honey,” wrote Jackie O. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

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Bindi Irwin shares candid health update

<p>Bindi Irwin has shared a candid health update, while sharing details of her gruelling road to receiving a diagnosis for endometriosis. </p> <p>The wildlife warrior first shared that she was suffering with the condition, which effects one in nine women, in March 2023, as she revealed she was living in constant pain. </p> <p>Now, the 25-year-old told <a href="https://people.com/bindi-irwin-doctors-dismissed-pain-before-endometriosis-diagnosis-exclusive-7749973" target="_blank" rel="noopener">People</a> magazine that it took 10 years to be diagnosed, after being “tested for everything” after experiencing extreme fatigue, pain and nausea over the span of a decade.</p> <p>“It’s so hard because you feel like it’s inescapable,” she told the publication.</p> <p>“You don’t know what’s wrong with you, and then when people tell you ‘It’s all in your head’ or ‘you’re hormonal’ or ‘just have a cup of tea, lay down,’ you end up feeling so desperately alone because there’s no answers.”</p> <p>In August 2022, Bindi pushed to undergo an explorative laparoscopy to explore her organs in the abdomen and pelvis. </p> <p>“I was so scared that they wouldn’t find anything because we had run out of everything else to test for,” Irwin said.</p> <p>The surgery revealed she had 37 lesions and cysts on her ovaries, and was formally diagnosed with endometriosis. </p> <p>Following specialised treatment and surgery, the conservationist said she feels “like I have a second chance at life ... I feel brand new”.</p> <p>“It’s not like a light switch, but every week I feel like I’m able to do a little bit more,” she said.</p> <p>“Now I wake up in the morning, and I don’t have to take anti-nausea medicine or have my heat pack."</p> <p>“Being able to go for a walk with my daughter and not feeling like I have to throw up in the bushes is just wild to me.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

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Home and Away star’s holiday health nightmare

<p dir="ltr">Former <em>Home and Away </em>star Sophie Dillman - who played Ziggy on the soap for six years - has opened up about her ongoing fight with endometriosis, and her experience with the condition on holiday. </p> <p dir="ltr">Sophie had been travelling through Europe with her partner-in-life-and-screen Patrick O’Connor after the pair had parted ways with Home and Away, and while the once-in-a-lifetime trip had been a positive experience for the most part, Sophie’s endometriosis chose to rear its painful head while the couple were in Greece.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a column penned for <em>Yahoo Lifestyle</em>, Sophie shared that while she dreamed of having the time of their lives there, she was also on her period, and was in such pain that she couldn’t want - or even eat - properly, and her new holiday clothes were out of the question as her stomach was “so swollen”.</p> <p dir="ltr">She went on to explain that she suffers from endometriosis, “a disease that affects 1 in 9 women and people assigned female at birth. It is a condition where tissue, similar to the lining of your uterus, grows outside the uterus causing pain and/or infertility.”</p> <p dir="ltr">As she put it, the condition is “f***ing awful”, and has impacted all areas of her life: “physically, mentally, emotionally, my relationships, work and NOW IT HAS COME FOR ME ON HOLIDAY.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Sophie’s symptoms tend to occur during her period and ovulation, and range from dull and sharp pains - through her abdomen, lower back, and legs - to nausea, fatigue, and swelling in her torso.</p> <p dir="ltr">And while Sophie had been nursing her pain and waiting for relief to kick in, she’d taken the opportunity to consider “some tips to make the most of the situation”, for while there was no solution to the problem, there was always the benefit of some advice for her fellow fighters. </p> <p dir="ltr">Sophie’s first tip was to travel prepared with the likes of “painkillers, pads, and birth control supplies” as irregular periods and bad luck can make for a terrible combination.</p> <p dir="ltr">She also suggested travelling with “loose flowy clothing”, to ensure an outfit that always fits. Additionally, she recommended taking a pillow along “to restaurants or on trips” to avoid a flare-up from sitting on hard surfaces. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Don’t overdo it” came next, as rest is crucial when battling endometriosis symptoms. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I understand the temptation to do 20,000 steps a day and soak up every second of the place,” she confessed, “but either you slow yourself down or the pain will stop you instead.”</p> <p dir="ltr">And last but certainly not least, Sophie encouraged others not to be too hard on themselves. </p> <p dir="ltr">“You can’t control everything and punishing yourself will only make things worse,” she said. “Listen to your body.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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Bindi Irwin breaks down on camera about health condition

<p>Bindi Irwin has shown her vulnerable side in an emotional new video shared with fans about a personal ordeal.</p> <p>The 24-year-old spoke candidly to the camera for 15 minutes with guest appearances from husband Chandler Powell and their daughter Grace Warrior.</p> <p>In the video, Irwin recalled the “insurmountable” pain she experienced due to endometriosis before finally <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/how-did-you-live-with-this-much-pain-bindi-irwin-hospitalised" target="_blank" rel="noopener">undergoing surgery</a>.</p> <p>The wildlife warrior announced her diagnosis in March 2023, but the new video explains her symptoms - which started when she was just 14 - that left her with “extreme fatigue, nausea and pain”.</p> <p>“I had pain every single day of my life. No matter where we went, where we were going, I would be falling asleep. I felt like I constantly had the flu,” she said.</p> <p>The conservationist confessed she tried everything to solve the issue, undergoing CT scans, MRIs and ultrasounds.</p> <p>“I was always in pain. We tried for a year, and finally a doctor told me it was just part of being a woman.”</p> <p>Irwin said it was that comment from a doctor that led her to suffer in silence.</p> <p>However, after giving birth to her daughter in 2021, the pain “magnified” to a point where it was “out of this world”.</p> <p>“I remember countless times of Grace needing me, and me crawling to her cot at night,” she revealed, becoming emotional.</p> <p>“I can remember being with Grace and lying on the floor in agony. I had a stabbing pain in my side, I couldn’t get up or I would throw up, and I was scared I would pass out.</p> <p>“I was so scared because I was worried if I was alone with Grace, something would happen to me, and she would be on her own.”</p> <p>Irwin dubbed the pain “insurmountable” and something that “would knock me over”.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cr31hQDANTp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cr31hQDANTp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Bindi Irwin (@bindisueirwin)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>She said that after returning to new doctors, she was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue.</p> <p>It was not until she spoke to a friend, Leslie Mosier, who recently had endometriosis surgery that she realised they shared similar symptoms.</p> <p>“Leslie said the only way to diagnose for sure is through exploratory surgery.”</p> <p>Irwin said she decided to undergo surgery in the US as her daughter would have Powell’s parents, who live in Florida, nearby for support while she recovered.</p> <p>At this point in her video, Grace woke up and joined her mum on camera.</p> <p>“Mama went for surgery and they found 37 lesions and a chocolate cyst on my ovary,” she said in a child-like tone for the sake of her daughter.</p> <p>“Ovary!” Grace chirped.</p> <p>“After surgery mama feels a lot better hey? I had to recover for quite a while, and mama feels so much better, and she can run around with you!”</p> <p>Irwin went on to share what she has learned being a part of the endometriosis community.</p> <p>She revealed that excision surgery is considered the “gold standard” for the disease, where lesions and cysts are removed.</p> <p>“Everyone says we need to educate the public, but there also needs to be a shift in health care. Doctors need more information because endometriosis has myriad symptoms. Doctors need the right tools to diagnose.”</p> <p>She explained that her own endometriosis has been classified as severe, which means she may have to undergo more surgeries in the future to keep symptoms at bay.</p> <p>“I feel like. I got a second chance at life... I feel like a new woman.”</p> <p>In a final message of encouragement, Irwin said, “If you’re in pain, it’s so hard to get up every day and forge ahead.</p> <p>“Keep searching for those answers and never give up on you.”</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

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“I haven’t been able to move": Home and Away star's debilitating condition

<p dir="ltr">Former <em>Home and Away </em>actress Sophie Dillman has opened up about the debilitating pain she suffers as she battles with endometriosis.</p> <p dir="ltr">The star took to Instagram to share the realities of her condition with two drastically different photos.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Endometriosis can look like this or this depending on the day,” her caption began.</p> <p dir="ltr">In one photo, the actress can be seen smiling and posing for photos at an event. In the second photo, Dillman is pictured lying on the floor with a hot water bottle on her stomach.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I haven’t been able to move from the floor this morning because it’s too painful to even walk around the house,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But then some days it doesn’t affect me at all. I don’t know when the pain or swelling or nausea will start or end,” she wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">She then goes on to share that “the unknown is heartbreaking,” and gives a shout out to those who support their loved ones on the days they can’t get up.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We need more research, funding and answers. F***. Endo,” she ended her caption tagging <a href="https://www.endometriosisaustralia.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Endometriosis Australia</a>.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CqP_7wyIqYn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CqP_7wyIqYn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Sophie Dillman (@sophiedillman)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Dillman is one of nine women who suffer from endometriosis, which is when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the womb, and it’s a chronic disease without a known cure.</p> <p dir="ltr">One option to reduce the pain is a laparoscopy- where a tiny camera is sent into the pelvic region to investigate and “remove any of the tissue that’s causing pain”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Dillman has said that she’s undergone three of these surgeries and said that she has “a lot of tissue that they can’t remove because it’s in the lining of my various organs”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s exhausting and painful and ... sometimes awkward and it sucks,” she said, adding that the surgery does not address her situation.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So it seems that it will be something I will have to continuously do throughout my life,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">Bindi Irwin is another woman who suffered from endometriosis, and just this month she opened up about <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/how-did-you-live-with-this-much-pain-bindi-irwin-hospitalised" target="_blank" rel="noopener">her experience and the surgery</a> she undertook.</p> <p dir="ltr">Dillman hopes to raise awareness around the stigmas surrounding the condition that stops women talking about it or seeking help.</p> <p dir="ltr">The actress hopes that she can use her platform with almost 300,000 followers, and her role as an ambassador for Endometriosis Australia to continue educating others.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p> </p>

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Gastro or endometriosis? How your GP discusses uncertainty can harm your health

<p>You wake with stomach pain that worsens during the day and decide to see your doctor. You describe your symptoms and your doctor examines you. Then the doctor says, “From what I hear, I think you could just have a stomach bug. Rest and come back in three days.”</p> <p>This might be a less definitive answer than you’re after. But doctors can’t always be sure of a diagnosis straight away. As <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11606-022-07768-y">my review</a> shows, doctors use various ways of communicating such uncertainty.</p> <p>Sometimes there is a mismatch between what doctors say when they’re uncertain and how patients interpret what they say, which can have harmful consequences.</p> <h2>Why does uncertainty matter?</h2> <p>Doctors <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11606-017-4164-1">cannot always explain</a> what your health problem is or what caused it. Such diagnostic uncertainty is a normal and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2022.2141">ever-present part</a> of the processes leading to a diagnosis. For instance, doctors often have to rule out other possible diagnoses before settling on one that’s most likely.</p> <p>While doctors ultimately get the diagnosis right <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2012-001615">in 85-90%</a> of cases, diagnostic uncertainty can lead to diagnostic delays and is a huge contributor to harmful or even deadly misdiagnoses.</p> <p>Every year, <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/system/files/issues/213_07/mja250771.pdf">an estimated</a> 21,000 people are seriously harmed and 2,000-4,000 people die in Australia because their diagnosis was delayed, missed or wrong. That could be because the wrong treatment was provided and caused harm, or the right treatment was not started or given after the condition had already considerably progressed. More than <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/system/files/issues/213_07/mja250771.pdf">80% of diagnostic errors</a> could have been prevented.</p> <p>Three medical conditions – infections, cancer and major vascular events (such as strokes or heart attacks) – are the so-called “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1515/dx-2019-0019">Big Three</a>” and cause devastating harm if misdiagnosed.</p> <p>In my review, the top three symptoms – fever, chest pain and abdominal pain – were most often linked to diagnostic uncertainty. In other words, most of us will have had at least one of these very common symptoms and thus been at risk of uncertainty and misdiagnosis.</p> <p>Some groups are less likely to be diagnosed correctly or without inappropriate delay than others, leading to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2022.7252">diagnostic inequities</a>. This may be the case for <a href="https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/whr.2022.0052">women</a>, and other groups marginalised because of their <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/acem.14142">race or ethnicity</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113609">sexual orientation or gender identity</a>, or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2022.7252">language proficiency</a>.</p> <h2>How often do you hear ‘I don’t know’?</h2> <p>My research showed doctors often make diagnostic uncertainty clear to patients by using explicit phrases such as: “I don’t know.”</p> <p>But doctors can also keep quiet about any uncertainty or signal they’re uncertain in more subtle ways.</p> <p>When doctors believe patients prefer clear answers, they may only share the most likely diagnosis. They say: “It’s a stomach bug” but leave out, “it could also be constipation, appendicitis or endometriosis”. </p> <p>Patients leave thinking the doctor is confident about the (potentially correct or incorrect) diagnosis, and remain uninformed about possible other causes. </p> <p>This can be especially frustrating for patients with chronic symptoms, where such knowledge gaps can lead to lengthy diagnostic delays, as reported for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2018.12.039">endometriosis</a>.</p> <p>Subtle ways of communicating uncertainty include hedging with certain words (could, maybe) or using introductory phrases (my guess, I think). Other implicit ways are consulting a colleague or the Internet, or making follow-up appointments.</p> <p>If patients hear “I think this could be a stomach bug” they may think there’s some uncertainty. But when they hear “come back in three days” the uncertainty may not be so obvious.</p> <p>Sharing uncertainty implicitly (rather than more directly), can leave patients unaware of new symptoms signalling a dangerous change in their condition.</p> <h2>What can you do about it?</h2> <p><strong>1. Ask about uncertainty</strong></p> <p>Ask your doctor to share any <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/dx-2021-0086">uncertainty and other diagnostic reasoning</a>. Ask about alternative diagnoses they’re considering. If you’re armed with such knowledge, you can better engage in your care, for example asking for a review when your symptoms worsen.</p> <p><strong>2. Manage expectations together</strong></p> <p>Making a diagnosis can be an evolving process rather than a single event. So ask your doctor to outline the diagnostic process to help manage any <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/ebm.14.3.66">mismatched expectations</a> about how long it might take, or what might be involved, to reach a diagnosis. Some conditions need time for symptoms to evolve, or further tests to exclude or confirm.</p> <p><strong>3. Book a long appointment</strong></p> <p>When we feel sick, we might get anxious or find we experience heightened levels of fear and other emotions. When we hear our doctor isn’t certain about what’s causing our symptoms, we may get even more anxious or fearful.</p> <p>In these cases, it can take time to discuss uncertainty and to learn about our options. So book a long appointment to give your doctor enough time to explain and for you to ask questions. If you feel you’d like some support, you can ask a close friend or family member to attend the appointment with you and to take notes for you.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/gastro-or-endometriosis-how-your-gp-discusses-uncertainty-can-harm-your-health-196943" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

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“I can finally see a new me”: Bindi Irwin shares update on difficult diagnosis

<p dir="ltr">Bindi Irwin has taken to social media to assure her supporters that she is on a journey to “better health” one week after revealing her endometriosis diagnosis. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Australian sweetheart shared a picture of herself sitting up in bed, smiling, with a beautiful bouquet of red roses in her arms. For her caption, Bindi stated that she was in the process of healing, and then took the opportunity to thank her followers for their “kind words and stories of strength” from their own endometriosis experiences. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I can finally see a new me on the journey towards better health,” she said. “I can’t wait to be able to focus all my energy on our family.”</p> <p dir="ltr">In true Irwin fashion, Bindi mentioned “the conservation work we are so passionate about”, and sent her “love and light” out to everyone reading. </p> <p dir="ltr">Seven days prior, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/how-did-you-live-with-this-much-pain-bindi-irwin-hospitalised">Bindi had thanked friends, family, and fans alike</a> for “for encouraging me to find answers when I thought I’d never climb out. Thank you to the doctors &amp; nurses who believed my pain. I’m on the road to recovery &amp; the gratitude I feel is overwhelming.”</p> <p dir="ltr">And now, the wildlife warrior - and ‘endo warrior’ - received a fresh flood of encouragement and support for this next phase of her health journey, with many delighted to hear that the 24-year-old was taking the time to focus on her recovery. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpxpeh1OrOg/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpxpeh1OrOg/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Bindi Irwin (@bindisueirwin)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Good, get plenty of rest and feel better soon. Thank you so much for spreading so much awareness for us endo warriors,” wrote one fan. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Take all the time and healing you need, you’re such a strong person Bindi and so many people like myself look up to you and love the things you do in life,” said one. “You just keep focussing on yourself and your little family of yours and take each day at a time.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“So glad you're using this time for physical and emotional healing. You are [a] true light in this world,” wrote another. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Continue to rest up and think of yourself and your healing, which can be hard as a mum right?” said English TV personality Jo Frost, before adding “the hubby and the family got the little one, all good. Speedy recovery you darling.” </p> <p dir="ltr">“Bindi you are an inspiration to every woman who follows you,” one follower told her. “Your Dad and Mum had the joy of seeing you grow strong and courageous. I believe you are a beautiful treasure for your fans. God bless you honey and your family.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, one fan struggled to understand how it had taken so long for Bindi - who had shared how she’d been struggling for a decade - to be diagnosed with the condition, writing “Not sure what Dr's are thinking today or doing today...it shouldn't take this long for a diagnosis....”</p> <p dir="ltr">“These last 10yrs have included many tests, doctors visits, scans, etc.,” Bindi wrote in her original post. “A doctor told me it was simply something you deal with as a woman &amp; I gave up entirely, trying to function through the pain.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Doctors often struggle to offer a formal diagnosis as symptoms can be varied, reflect other underlying health issues, and come with great periods of time between symptoms starting - or being noticed - and reaching out for help. </p> <p dir="ltr">But for many in the comments, Bindi sharing her story is a reminder and encouragement for people to continue to advocate for their bodies, and to always fight to get the help they need.</p> <p dir="ltr">As one follower said, referencing the endo journeys of those close to her, “ it’s not a nice disease! It’s crazy how prevalent it is yet still not well understood. Thank you for sharing your experience with us! Wishing you love and healing, Bindi!!”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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"How did you live with this much pain?": Bindi Irwin hospitalised

<p dir="ltr"> Bindi Irwin has issued an emotional statement on social media after undergoing surgery for endometriosis.</p> <p dir="ltr">The beloved Australian conservationist has been battling with the condition for 10 years, and detailed in her post what it had been like to struggle with “insurmountable fatigue, pain &amp; nausea.”</p> <p dir="ltr">She confessed that she had spent a long time wondering whether or not she should share her story, but ultimately believed it to be her “responsibility” to share her story for others like her who haven’t been able to get the help they desperately need for their condition. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m aware of millions of women struggling with a similar story,” Bindi wrote, “there’s stigma around this awful disease. I’m sharing my story for anyone who reads this &amp; is quietly dealing with pain &amp; no answers. Let this be your validation that your pain is real &amp; you deserve help. Keep searching for answers.”</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the World Health Organisation, endometriosis - a chronic disease for which there is no known cure - affects approximately 10% of the world’s population of women, girls, and gender diverse individuals of a reproductive age (that’s roughly 190 million people). It is associated with severe pain during periods, bloating, nausea, fatigue, and even infertility. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, the symptoms can be so varied that healthcare professionals often struggle to diagnose the condition, and that many sufferers don’t know enough to put a name to it. Due to this, there are often large spans of time between first noticing symptoms, getting a formal diagnosis, and getting help. </p> <p dir="ltr">“These last 10yrs have included many tests, doctors visits, scans, etc.,” Bindi explained in her caption. “A doctor told me it was simply something you deal with as a woman &amp; I gave up entirely, trying to function through the pain.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I decided to undergo surgery for endometriosis,” she continued, after noting that a friend had helped steer in the right direction. “Going in for surgery was scary but I knew I couldn’t live like I was. Every part of my life was getting torn apart because of the pain. </p> <p dir="ltr">“To cut a long story short, they found 37 lesions, some very deep &amp; difficult to remove, &amp; a chocolate cyst. @seckinmd’s [Bindi’s doctor] first words to me when I was in recovery were, ‘How did you live with this much pain?’”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpf6o7YJ0xa/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpf6o7YJ0xa/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Bindi Irwin (@bindisueirwin)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Bindi, in true Irwin fashion, took the time to pay tribute to the support of her family and friends who had been on that journey with her for over a decade, and wrote of the “indescribable” relief at the “validation for years of pain”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“THANK YOU,” she gushed, “for encouraging me to find answers when I thought I’d never climb out. Thank you to the doctors &amp; nurses who believed my pain. I’m on the road to recovery &amp; the gratitude I feel is overwhelming. </p> <p dir="ltr">“To those questioning the cancelled plans, unanswered messages &amp; absence - I had been pouring every ounce of the energy I had left into our daughter &amp; family.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Things may look fine on the outside looking in through the window of someone’s life, however, that is not always the case. Please be gentle &amp; pause before asking me (or any woman) when we’ll be having more children. </p> <p dir="ltr">“After all that my body has gone through, I feel tremendously grateful that we have our gorgeous daughter. She feels like our family’s miracle.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, for more information visit: </em></p> <p dir="ltr"><em><a href="https://www.endometriosisaustralia.org/">Endometriosis Australia</a></em></p> <p dir="ltr"><em><a href="https://nzendo.org.nz/2023-march-awareness-month/#:~:text=March%20is%20International%20Endometriosis%20Awareness,years%20before%20they%20are%20diagnosed.">Endometriosis New Zealand</a></em></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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"I broke down": Emma Watkins opens up on emotional meaning behind latest outfit

<p dir="ltr">While spotting celebrities in gorgeous gowns isn’t unusual, Emma Watkins’ latest appearance in a pink and gold dress has more meaning than it seems.</p> <p dir="ltr">The former yellow Wiggle revealed that the frock was designed with a particular person in mind, which she wore as an ambassador for Frocktober.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The dress that I'm wearing isn't just a pretty dress. [It was] actually created by a beautiful designer, Jaimie Sortino, and it's in honour of his cousin Jenna that passed away,” she told <em>9Honey</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Jenna Crierie was 33 and eleven years into her battle with ovarian cancer, the most lethal gynaecological cancer, when she passed away.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I never actually had a chance to meet her, but I've met Jaimie a few times, that's why those pictures and the dress are quite special," Watkins said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It really is another reminder of the lives that we've lost due to this disease… even though half of us didn't actually get to meet her, it felt like she was there."</p> <p dir="ltr">Endometriosis, a condition which affects one in nine Australian women including Watkins, is among the known risk factors for ovarian cancer, though there are no early detection tests.</p> <p dir="ltr">Watkins recalled how she was brought to tears when she met Leanne Flynn, one of millions of women who had ovarian cancer that was caught too late, for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation’s Frocktober campaign.</p> <p dir="ltr">"She was telling her story about what she's been going through for the last five years, the multiple surgeries and tests. I basically just cried," Watkins said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I broke down in front of the audience, I wasn't expecting to hear such a poignant and connected story to do with the disease itself. Ever since then, I've been highly involved."</p> <p dir="ltr">As a Frocktober ambassador this year, Watkins is fighting to ensure that experiences like Crierie’s and Flynn’s are no longer as common.</p> <p dir="ltr">Even pap smears can’t catch ovarian cancer early, which the 33-year-old said said frustrated her.</p> <p dir="ltr">"That's why it's frustrating, because normally women don't get to pick this up early on. That's the issue," she continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">"When I found that something wasn't right with me, I was already stage four endometriosis. And the same thing with Flynn, you're just too far along."</p> <p dir="ltr">With vague symptoms - think abdominal and pelvic pain, boating, appetite loss, unexplained weight changes and tiredness - and nowhere near the same publicity as diseases such as breast cancer, it can be hard for women to find out before it’s too late.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I think women should be more cautious," Watkins said. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Even for endometriosis, that wouldn't have been picked up with a pap smear."</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b4a53489-7fff-ddd3-653c-7c5df5314124"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">While it might be too late for women who have been diagnosed with late stage cancer, Watkins hopes that campaigns like Frocktober can spark change in the years to come.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @emmawatkinsofficial (Instagram)</em></p>

Body

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Emma Watkins fears due to debilitating condition

<p dir="ltr">Emma Watkins has opened about her greatest fears when it comes to starting a family due to a debilitating condition. </p> <p dir="ltr">The former Yellow Wiggle married partner Oliver Brian in a small afternoon garden party in the gorgeous Longmeadow Estate in the Victorian town of Tyrendarra earlier this month.</p> <p dir="ltr">She has since opened up about her fears of not being able to become a mum due to her endometriosis. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Speaking plainly, I just don’t know if I will be able to,” the 32-year-old told <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/former-yellow-wiggle-emma-watkins-reveals-baby-battle-after-marriage/news-story/e66cf271152aa4a6f9480744ffa80cf4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Telegraph</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“After stage four endo, I am pretty realistic in the fact I don’t know what my chances are. If it happens, that would be amazing, if it doesn’t, that is okay too.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Endometriosis is a disease that affects more than 11 per cent of Australian women and girls where the tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows outside it in other parts of the body. </p> <p dir="ltr">The debilitating condition which takes at least seven years to diagnose could also impact a woman's fertility. </p> <p dir="ltr">Check out Emma and Oliver’s wedding photos <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/emma-watkins-shares-gorgeous-wedding-snaps" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram </em></p>

Family & Pets

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Five holistic ways to manage endometriosis

<p><strong>What is endometriosis?</strong></p> <p>Endometriosis is a chronic, inflammatory disorder that occurs in women when tissue, similar to the lining of the womb, starts to grow in other places like the ovaries and fallopian tubes.</p> <p>This tissue acts like endometrial tissue and thickens, breaks down and bleeds with each menstrual cycle. But, unlike a normal period, this tissue has no way to exit the body, which can lead to cysts and scar tissue forming in the pelvic area.</p> <p><strong>How many women does it affect and what are the symptoms?</strong></p> <p>It is estimated that approximately 10 per cent of women between 14 and 45 have endometriosis and it goes largely undiagnosed in younger years.</p> <p>Symptoms of endometriosis include heavy and painful periods and it can make it difficult to get pregnant and this is why more women are diagnosed in the 30’s, when they are trying to figure out what might be causing issues with infertility.</p> <p>Over time, women with endometriosis can also suffer with chronic lower back and pelvic pain, pain during and after sex, an overactive bladder, intestinal pain and painful bowel movements.</p> <p><strong>What can I do about it?</strong></p> <p>Research shows that endometriosis can be genetic and that it is more common in women with a lower BMO and those who started their periods at a young age.</p> <p>There is no way to completely prevent it or get rid of it, but there is a lot you can do to make it more manageable and much easier to live with.</p> <p>Medical treatments for endometriosis can be effective and include surgery, the contraceptive pill and painkillers, however, there are also some holistic ways that might help you to manage your symptoms each month.</p> <p><strong>Keep calm and don’t carry on:</strong></p> <p>Symptoms of endometriosis can be triggered by chronic stress. Research has shown that the more stressed you feel, the worse your symptoms of endometriosis will be, including higher levels of pain.</p> <p>For women with endometriosis, it is vital to learn early on what helps you to destress and relax best. Warm baths, aromatherapy candles and a restful bedtime routine can all help, but if you really struggle with anxiety or pain then CBD can be a great place to start. When taken orally, CBD has not only been shown to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation, but also to reduce pain through its inflammatory actions on our endocannabinoid system.</p> <p>Don’t forget that there is also the option of gently rubbing a CBD infused body cream onto your pelvic area and lower back.</p> <p><strong>Don’t forget Omega 3’s:</strong></p> <p>Diet is often discussed as a modifiable risk factor for endometriosis, meaning that eating the right foods could really help you manage your symptoms.</p> <p>One study found that polyunsaturated fats found in oily fish, phytoestrogens found in some plant foods, resveratrol found in berries and grapes, and vitamin D, might help to fight symptoms of endometriosis (e.g. pain and inflammation) and delay disease progression.</p> <p>As well as this, numerous studies have shown links between intake of omega-3 fatty acids and endometriosis.</p> <p>One study found that higher levels of omega-3 in the blood, the lower the risk of endometriosis.</p> <p>Another study found that a higher ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids was associated with less severe symptoms of endometriosis (4).</p> <p>This is all evidence that the right foods can help to relieve endometrial pain and inflammation – surely this is reason enough to think more carefully about the impact of your diet on your health.</p> <p><strong>Spice up your life:</strong></p> <p>Herbs and spices have been used medicinally since ancient times and in recent years, turmeric has taken the spotlight in anti-inflammatory research.</p> <p>One study found that curcumin, an active ingredient in turmeric, may help with endometriosis by reducing production of oestradiol, a form of oestrogen. In addition to this, a recent research review found that the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of turmeric were associated with reducing symptoms of endometriosis.</p> <p>Ginger and the adaptogenic herb, ashwagandha, have also been found to help women manage their symptoms – so, start adding fresh ginger and turmeric to your herbal teas and cooking and reap the benefits of these super spices!</p> <p><strong>Check out which SUPER foods you need:</strong></p> <p>Most research into diet and endometriosis has focused on anti-inflammatory foods, such as those mentioned earlier in this article. But luckily, there is so much more to our diets than just eating oily fish!</p> <p>One study recently found that dietary intake of the vitamins C, E and the B vitamins, thiamine and folate, were related to a lower risk of having endometriosis.</p> <p>No-one is absolutely sure why this is, but these researchers believed that these particular vitamins might influence factors related to the development of endometriosis, for example, oxidative stress and steroid hormone metabolism.</p> <p>What is really interesting about this research is that these vitamins were from food sources – yet more evidence that paying attention to the foods you eat is vital when trying to manage symptoms of endometriosis.</p> <p><strong>Look after your gut:</strong></p> <p>A couple of thousand years ago, Hippocrates famously said “all disease begins in the gut”. It took modern medicine a few years to catch up and realise that he was absolutely right!</p> <p>Around 90 per cent of women with endometriosis struggle with digestive symptoms such as bloating, constipation, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Gut health is related to the development and maintenance of various chronic diseases, and based on the digestive symptoms you see in endometriosis, the gut certainly seems to have an important role to play.</p> <p>So, what are the gut-friendly foods that you can eat to ensure that you have a healthy and happy gut? These are foods that give you more of the good bacteria you need to maintain the right balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut.</p> <p>Fermented foods are the best option if you wish to add some good bacteria to your daily diet. Some dairy products, for example some cheeses and live yogurts, include live cultures of bacteria.</p> <p>Fermented drinks such as Kefir and Kombucha are popular probiotic drinks. You can also try adding fermented vegetables to your meal, like kimchi or sauerkraut.</p> <p>You might also want to try a supplement to support your gut health.</p> <p><em><span id="docs-internal-guid-adb2067f-7fff-98e0-b5e9-3b6cb8decff7">Written by Dr Naomi Newman-Beinart. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/five-holistic-ways-to-manage-endometriosis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here’s our best subscription offer.</a></span></em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Body

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Emma Watkins speaks candidly about secret health battle

<p>Yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins has opened up on her secret health battle.</p> <p>In a podcast with NSW Health's Western Sydney Health Check earlier this week, the 31-year-old, shared her ongoing struggle with endometriosis.</p> <p>She shared that, despite having symptoms back in high school, it was joining The Wiggles that made her realise something was awry.</p> <p>“It was maybe eight years into the touring and being on the road constantly and filming back-to-back that my periods actually started to run into each other and the bleeding was actually non-stop,” she said.</p> <p>“And at that point, that’s when I thought something was up.”</p> <p>But despite it all, she still hadn't considered endometriosis.</p> <p>The condition affects the female reproductive organs and can be debilitating.</p> <p>It can cause extreme bloating, pelvic pain and infertility - and can often take up to 12 years to diagnose.</p> <p>“I kind of let the touring cover up for the fact that I was very unwell,” Watkins said.</p> <p>“It was hard for me to find control in my life, or a controlled environment, where I could see if it was me or it was just a lot of shows.”</p> <p>Coincidentally, yellow is best-known as the colour for endometriosis awareness.</p> <p>Watkins was already wearing yellow before her diagnosis but says it now takes on a new meaning.</p> <p>“I didn’t realise so many women in Australia, let alone the world, were suffering from the same thing,” she told the podcast.</p> <p>“It’s really just trying to create an environment that people feel safe to have that kind of discussion.”</p> <p>Emma joined The Wiggles in 2010 in a number of background roles, before becoming the first female Wiggle in 2012.</p>

Body

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1 in 10 women are affected by endometriosis – so why does it take so long to diagnose?

<p>Endometriosis is a debilitating, chronic condition that affects <a href="https://www.endometriosisaustralia.org/research">1 in 10 women</a> worldwide. It occurs when tissue <a href="https://www.endofound.org/endometriosis">which has similar properties to the womb lining,</a> ends up in the body and attaches to organs, forming a patch of tissue called a <a href="https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/endometriosis/symptoms-causes">lesion</a>.</p> <p>The condition can cause chronic pelvic pain, bowel and bladder dysfunction, and pain during sex. Painful symptoms can often make it hard for women to work or study, which has long-term socioeconomic impacts.</p> <p>Unfortunately, women with endometriosis can wait up to <a href="https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/27/12/3412/650946">10 years</a> for a diagnosis. But why does it take so long?</p> <p><strong>Diagnosis is difficult</strong></p> <p>Endometriosis can only be diagnosed through surgery, and in Australian public hospitals it is common to have to wait <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports-data/myhospitals/sectors/elective-surgery">up to a year</a> for this procedure. This is partly because surgery for endometriosis is classified as category 3 - the lowest-priority elective surgery in Australia.</p> <p><strong>Join 130,000 people who subscribe to free evidence-based news.</strong></p> <p>Get newsletter</p> <p>To diagnose the condition, lesions need to be surgically removed and analysed by a pathologist. The operation is performed by keyhole surgery, but it can have significant financial and health impact on sufferers.</p> <p>Surgery costs are covered in public hospitals, but long wait times mean women who can afford it <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-disease/endometriosis-prevalence-and-hospitalisations/contents/table-of-contents">are more likely to use private hospitals for endometriosis surgery</a> than for other diseases.</p> <p>Then, to have a pathologist analyse the lesions removed during surgery and provide a diagnosis <a href="https://www.medibank.com.au/health-support/hospital-assist/costs/laparoscopy/">can cost A$5,546</a> with only <a href="http://www9.health.gov.au/mbs/search.cfm?q=endometriosis&amp;Submit=&amp;sopt=S?">a fraction covered by Medicare</a>, leaving patients out of pocket.</p> <p>Non-invasive imaging by ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can often detect lesions on the ovary (endometrioma), and deep lesions that invade the bowel or bladder. But while this <em>indicates</em> endometriosis, lesions analysed by a pathologist are still considered the gold standard for a formal diagnosis.</p> <p>Ultrasounds and MRIs also can’t detect lesions that are on the surface of organs (superficial) and are thought to be an early stage of the disease.</p> <p>A prior lack of endometriosis research funding in Australia has hampered progress towards developing non-invasive screening tests. But newly developed tests may incorporate emerging evidence that endometriosis has several <a href="https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1471-0528.15894">distinct subtypes</a>, each with a specific diagnostic and treatment profile. Recognition of distinct subtypes has <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2011.00012/full">improved and informed the treatment of breast cancer</a>, and this might also be true for endometriosis.</p> <p>Until such tests are developed, some clinicians are advocating for a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2018.12.039">diagnosis based on symptoms instead of lesions</a>, but this hasn’t been standardised or validated yet.</p> <p><strong>“It just comes with being a woman…”</strong></p> <p>Normalisation of period pain means women often wait <a href="https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/27/12/3412/650946">two to three years</a> from the onset of symptoms before seeking medical help. And public awareness of endometriosis and its symptoms are low. This explains why only <a href="https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/27/12/3412/650946">38% of women</a> with suspected endometriosis present to their GP each year.</p> <p>Even if a woman does present to her GP with symptoms, a lack of education in GPs and general gynaecologists can result in late referral and misdiagnosis. This can add more than <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2018.09.006">two years</a> to a diagnosis journey. While Australian data is lacking, European women with suspected endometriosis have <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2016.02.003">very low rates of GP referral</a> for diagnostic testing (12%) or to a gynaecologist (44%).</p> <p><strong>Biases come into play</strong></p> <p>In the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis gender, race and socioeconomic biases come into play.</p> <p>If a man reported to his general practitioner (GP) with severe pelvic pain, he would likely be sent for tests immediately. This is because there probably isn’t a “normal” underlying reason for his <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5845507/">pain</a>. But in cases of endometriosis, pelvic pain can be confused with menstrual cramps, resulting in delays for further tests.</p> <p>A woman’s annual salary may impact her diagnosis time too. Those who can afford private healthcare can access specialist gynaecologists quickly, and can avoid the long waiting lists for diagnostic surgery.</p> <p>In fact,<a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/a4ba101d-cd6d-4567-a44f-f825047187b8/aihw-phe-247.pdf.aspx?inline=true">65% of endometriosis hospitalisations</a> in Australia are either self-funded or funded by private healthcare. But even with private healthcare, women with endometriosis pay, on average, <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0223316&amp;type=printable">$3,670 a year in out-of-pocket expenses</a> for tests, treatments and surgeries.</p> <p>Despite a having a similar disease incidence, <a href="https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1471-0528.15692">women of colour</a> are less likely to be diagnosed than Caucasians. In fact, <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/a4ba101d-cd6d-4567-a44f-f825047187b8/aihw-phe-247.pdf.aspx?inline=true">Australian Indigenous women</a> are 1.6 times less likely to be admitted to hospital for endometriosis. This may be due to difficulty accessing health care, the costs associated with treatment, and cultural differences in health-seeking behaviour.</p> <p><strong>Hope for the future</strong></p> <p>The Australian government’s <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/national-action-plan-for-endometriosis">National Action Plan for Endometriosis</a> outlines a roadmap to overcome many of these diagnostic hurdles.</p> <p>It was developed in consultation with the <a href="https://www.acendo.com.au/">Australian Coalition for Endometriosis</a> and includes public health campaigns and educational resources for both the general public and GPs. It also supports research into the innovation of new diagnostic tools and the development of centres of excellence for diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis. These centres will enable early access to specialised care and appropriate screening and diagnosis.</p> <p>Though the current research investment for Australian endometriosis research is only 0.2% of the annual cost of endometriosis in Australia it’s an important start to transform endometriosis patient outcomes.</p> <p>The Action Plan was accompanied by the greatest investment to date in Australian endometriosis research by <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/chronic-conditions/what-were-doing-about-chronic-conditions/what-were-doing-about-endometriosis">Australian</a> and <a href="https://hudson.org.au/latest-news/us2-07-million-awarded-to-tackle-endometriosis/">international</a> funding bodies.</p> <p>The current research investment (totalling A$14.55 million) for Australian endometriosis research is only 0.2% of the annual cost of endometriosis in Australia (A$7.4 billion). But it is an important start to transform endometriosis patient outcomes.</p> <p><strong>Steps to take if you think you have endometriosis</strong></p> <p>1. Know the many and varied <a href="http://endometriosis.org/endometriosis/symptoms/">symptoms of endometriosis</a>. Period pain that cannot be relieved by over-the-counter anti-inflammatories such as naprogesic is not normal. Nor is painful sex</p> <p>2. document your menstrual cycle and symptoms – several apps are available, but a diary also works</p> <p>3. ask your GP for a referral to a specialist endometriosis gynaecologist</p> <p>4. if a pelvic ultrasound is needed, ensure it is done by a sonographer who specialises in detecting deep infiltrating endometriosis</p> <p>5. if your concerns are not addressed, seek a second (or third) opinion.</p> <p><em>Transmen and non-binary people can also be affected by endometriosis. This community already experiences delays to healthcare, often exacerbated when they seek help for conditions not matching their outward gender.</em></p> <p><em>Written by Caroline Gargett, Caitlin Filby and Fiona Cousins. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/1-in-10-women-are-affected-by-endometriosis-so-why-does-it-take-so-long-to-diagnose-141803">The Conversation.</a> </em></p>

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