If you have any of these endometriosis symptoms you should see your doctor for a proper diagnosis:
- Experiencing pain when you move your bowel or when urinating.
- Having painful periods.
- Excessive bleeding
- Experiencing pain when having intercourse.
- Infertility.
Identifying the causes of these symptoms can be difficult. It is important to note that early diagnostics will help you evade unnecessary complications and pain.
Diagnosis And Testing For Endometriosis
To undergo testing and diagnosis, you should have an appointment with your doctor and describe the symptoms. These symptoms will help him identify the actual cause of your condition.
If your symptoms are related to infertility, your primary care doctor will refer you to a reproductive endocrinologist.
Appointments are usually brief, and the limited time with your doctor can make you forget all the things you wanted to discuss. Preparing in advance for your appointment is a good idea.
What To Do Before Your Appointment
1.) Prepare a list of the symptoms you are experiencing. Even though you think they are not related you should write them down.
Your doctor will want answers to these questions:
- How often do you experience the symptoms?
- How long have you been experiencing these symptoms?
- How severe are the symptoms?
- Do your symptoms seems related to your menstrual cycle?
- Does anything relieve your symptoms?
- Does anything make your symptoms worsen?
2.) List all of your medications, including herbs and vitamins supplements that you ingest. Indicate the schedule that you observe when ingesting them, and provide the doses.
3.) Having your spouse or a friend with you during the appointment will lessen the possibility of forgetting important facts.
4.) Keeping notes on your cellphone can be helpful too.
When preparing questions to ask the doctor, make sure that you arrange them in an appropriate order (important 
questions should come first). Questions to ask:
1.) Learn how endometriosis is diagnosed.
2.) Ask about which medications are suitable for the treatment of endometriosis and which one is best for you personally.
3.) Inquire on the side effects of taking such medications.
4.) Inquire about the need for surgery and which procedure, if any, is best for you.
5.) Understand whether you are required to take any medications before or after the surgery, and how long you will need them.
6.) Understand whether your endometriosis will affect the ability conceive.
7.) Ask the doctor whether there are other alternative treatments that you should explore.
Ensure that you comprehend everything that your doctor tells you. You should not hesitate to ask your doctor to repeat information, or even to ask follow up questions for clarification.
Tests that your doctor may perform to determine if you have endometriosis include:
1.) Pelvic exam. During this examination your doctor should manually feel the areas of your pelvis for abnormalities, these abnormalities include cysts on your reproductive system or scars on the wall of your uterus.
2.) Ultrasound. This test employs high frequency sound waves and a transducer to capture images by gently rubbing the transducer on your skin or inserting it into the vagina. These forms of ultrasound are used to give a clear image of any cysts that may be present.
3.) Laparoscopy. To be sure that you have endometriosis, your physician will refer you to a surgeon to inspect your abdomen for any indication of endometriosis through a surgical procedure known as laparoscopy. By making an incision on your navel, the surgeon inserts viewing equipment and uses it to find any endometriosis tissue in the uterus. After this procedure the location and size of endometrial implants can be determined thus helping in choosing the best treatment options.
All Natural Remedies You Can Do Yourself
Now that you have received a proper diagnosis from your doctor you can make informed decisions about how to treat your personal medical condition. Your diagnosis may have revealed that you do indeed have endometriosis, but it is also very possible to have other diseases in addition to (or instead of) endometriosis such as:
- Adenomyosis or Adenomyoma
- Uterine fibroids
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)