If you’ve ever had to convince a doctor that your period pain actually isn’t normal, you’re not alone. Endometriosis (aka “endo”) affects 1 in 10 people with uteruses. It’s painful, exhausting, and wildly underdiagnosed. The average time it takes to get a diagnosis? 7 to 10 years. So what’s going on here?

What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis happens when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (but not the same) starts growing outside the uterus: on your ovaries, fallopian tubes, bladder, intestines, and beyond. This rogue tissue still responds to hormonal changes, which means it bleeds, breaks down, and causes inflammation every month. Except… there’s nowhere for that blood to go. That’s where the pain, scarring, and sometimes even organ damage comes in.

What are the symptoms of endometriosis?
Symptoms vary, but here’s what a lot of people deal with:

• Intense period cramps that don’t respond to over-the-counter meds
• Chronic pelvic pain (even when you’re not on your period)
• Pain during or after sex
• Pain with bowel movements or peeing
• Fatigue, nausea, bloating
• Fertility struggles

Still, people with endo are often dismissed, misdiagnosed, or straight-up ignored. Why? 

We’ve been taught that period pain is just part of life.
From middle school health class to conversations with our moms, a lot of us grew up thinking that painful periods were “just how it is.” So we don’t speak up. Or if we do, we’re told it’s normal and handed a heating pad or birth control.

Medical bias is real.
Studies have shown that women, and especially women of color, are less likely to be believed when reporting pain. Add in the fact that endo symptoms overlap with other conditions (like IBS or bladder disorders), and many patients get misdiagnosed or gaslit into thinking it’s all in their head.

Diagnosis often requires surgery.
Right now, the only way to definitively diagnose endometriosis is with laparoscopy, a surgical procedure that lets doctors look inside your abdomen. That’s a big step, and a lot of people get stuck in limbo for years before a doctor even considers it.

There’s just not enough awareness.
Endo isn’t rare, but it’s rarely talked about. Even many gynecologists aren’t trained deeply in how to recognize or manage it, and there’s no standard diagnostic test. So unless you land with a provider who really knows what they’re doing, you might be in the dark for a while.

So what can you do if you think you have endometriosis?

• Track your symptoms. Be specific. Note when the pain happens, how intense it is, what makes it better or worse, and how it affects your day-to-day life.
• Advocate for yourself. If a doctor brushes you off, get a second opinion. You don’t owe anyone your silence when you’re in pain.
• Find community. There are support groups (online and in person) where people with endo share advice, resources, and hard-earned wisdom. You’re not alone, and you deserve better.
• Know your options. Treatment looks different for everyone, but can include hormonal therapy, pain management, pelvic floor therapy, and surgery.