For millions of women, endometriosis isn’t just period cramps. It encroaches on careers, relationships, sleep, fertility, sex lives, and mental health.
For years, women have dealt with severe reproductive conditions that have been dismissed. The society, including the medical world, has managed to paint women as the villain in their own stories. Yet, many still hear phrases like, “Oh, suck it up and deal with it.”
“You’re just exaggerating.”
“Stop playing victim.”
“You’re probably stressed.”
Fibroids, endometriosis, PMOS, ovarian cysts, symptoms of menopause, cramps, irregular menstrual cycles, maternity leave, and a host of other pain women struggle with are being disregarded not just by everyday people but by medical practitioners, including female doctors.
What is endotrimiosis?
Endometriosis causes tissue that is similar to the lining of the uterus to grow in other places where it doesn’t belong. It can cause pelvic pain and heavy periods, as well as fertility issues.
According to the WHO, endometriosis affects an estimated 10% (190 million) of reproductive-age women worldwide. Endometriosis in biological males is very rare, with less than 20 cases documented in medical history because it is a condition of the uterus. When it started with 1 man, it was considered an anomaly. Then it became 2, and now at 14+ men, it is no longer considered just a medical condition.
What Sparked the Outrage on Endometriosis?
The condition that has been connected to the female reproductive organ for years is now considered a full-body inflammatory disease. A pain that has been dismissed for years is now getting the medical attention it didn’t get when it was just a disease that affected biological women.
A woman could tell her doctor her symptoms, and he would dismiss what her body is telling her. Guess who has it worse? Black women. There is hardly a cure for diseases affecting Black women because no one in the medical world cares enough to get in the lab to study them or pay enough attention to the symptoms. Black women have been misdiagnosed for years and had to endure pain or seek natural remedies.
“When I was 14, I was told that the endometriosis would ‘go away when you have a baby.’ 30-ish years of agony followed that comment.” Anonymous, Threads.
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Women are outraged at this development. Suddenly science cares about endometriosis. Suddenly, a cure is in view. Just because more men are dealing with it.
The question isn’t about if the outrage is valid or not. The question we should focus on is why there are multiple medical advancements for endometriosis, like the saliva testing, “hormone fingerprint” that enables blood tests with over 95% diagnostic accuracy and non-hormonal targeted therapies like ENDO-205 that are in clinical trials because it now affects men.
Although these “breakthroughs” have been in the works for years, it still doesn’t dispel the fact that the ratio that got things into action is low compared to the population that has been crying for help for years.
The problem isn’t that doctors don’t know endometriosis exists. It’s that women’s pain has historically been underestimated. Pain is often attributed to stress, hormones, anxiety, or emotions before any deeper digging is done.
That doesn’t mean that every doctor ignores women. It means there are too many women with familiar stories of “No one believed me.” Or, “I thought I was being dramatic.”
Endometriosis Symptoms in Women
The disease affects one in ten women of reproductive age worldwide. Yet, it takes years to be diagnosed accurately because the symptoms often look like something else, or they are just dismissed.
- Severe menstrual cramps
- Heavy or painful periods (Dysmenorrhea)
- Pelvic pain that continues after menstruation
- Pain during sex
- Pain while urinating or passing stool during periods
- Fatigue
- Bloating
- Nausea
- Infertility issues
- Lower back pain
Some women have undergone hysterectomy surgery as a cure for endometriosis. What was the quick solution they offered men?
Endotrimiosis Symptoms in Men
Because the condition is primarily driven by hormones and inflammation rather than just reproductive organs, the symptoms mimic those experienced by patients with uteruses, but without a menstrual cycle connection. In transgender men or non-binary individuals assigned female at birth (AFAB), symptoms commonly include severe menstrual cramps, heavy bleeding, and pain during intercourse.
- Abdominal or pelvic pain
- Scrotal swelling
- Urinary issues
- Bowel distress (Rectal pain or blood in the stool)
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Are Things Finally Changing?
History is full of instances where illnesses affecting women received less research funding, slower diagnosis, and less public attention than conditions that primarily affect men. Whether or not the outrage is valid, the emotion behind it is understandable.
Women aren’t saying men must suffer. They are simply asking why we had to suffer in silence first.
Thankfully, researchers now know more about the condition than they did decades ago. New imaging techniques are being developed to reduce diagnostic delays. New medications aimed at controlling the hormones and inflammation continue to emerge, while surgeons are refining techniques to remove endometriosis more effectively without damaging healthy tissues.
The best part is women are openly talking about their struggles instead of normalizing them. And this has led to the breakthroughs we see today.
