Endometriosis Treatment
Endometriosis (en-doe-me-tree-O-sis) is an often painful disorder in which tissue similar to the tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus — the endometrium — grows outside your uterus. Endometriosis most commonly involves your ovaries, fallopian tubes and the tissue lining your pelvis.
The cause of endometriosis is unknown. Retrograde menstrual flow is sometimes the cause of endometriosis. Some of the tissue shed during the period flows through the fallopian tube into other areas of the body, such as the pelvis. Genetic factors. Because endometriosis runs in families, it may be inherited in the genes.
Common signs/symptoms of endometriosis include:
Painful periods (dysmenorrhea).
Pelvic pain and cramping may begin before and extend several days into a menstrual period.
Pain with intercourse.
Pain with bowel movements or urination.
Excessive bleeding.
Infertility
Tests to check for physical clues of endometriosis include:
Pelvic exam: During a pelvic exam, your doctor manually feels (palpates) areas in your pelvis for abnormalities, such as cysts on your reproductive organs or scars behind your uterus.
Ultrasound.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Laparoscopy.
There is no cure for endometriosis. Hormone therapy or taking out tissue with laparoscopic surgery can ease pain. But pain often returns within a year or two. Taking out the ovaries (oophorectomy) and the uterus (hysterectomy) usually relieves pain.
Treatment Initial treatment includes common agents used for primary dysmenorrhea, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, combination estrogen/progestin contraceptives, or progestin-only contraceptives.
Endometriosis affects 10–15% of people with a uterus. When medication is unsatisfactory, not well tolerated or unwanted, surgery remains the sole option. There is a need for a less invasive treatment.
We suggest the application of shock wave therapy (SWT) to endometriotic nodules (including deep infiltrating endometriosis), endometriomas and adenomyosis. We achieve pain relief via an anti-inflammatory effect, an antioxidant effect and neural pathway modulation, as well as a direct effect on the lesions by the energy thus delivered.
Shock Wave Therapy
The normal course of treatment is 5 visits taking 20 minutes per visit. It is affordable, painless, has no side effects and doesn’t require any medication.
All patients will have a consultation with our medical staff prior to treatment
*Please note shock wave therapy is not covered under OHIP