Endometriosis Treatments in Wellesley, MA | Brigham Wellesley OB/GYN Associates
If you’ve spent years being told your period pain is “just normal,” you’re far from alone. Endometriosis affects one in 10 women in the United States alone, according to the Endometriosis Foundation of America, yet it’s one of the most under-diagnosed conditions in gynecology. Many patients see multiple doctors over several years before they finally get an answer.
At Brigham Wellesley OB/GYN Associates, we specialize in recognizing endometriosis for what it is, a real treatable medical condition, and helping women throughout Boston and the surrounding areas find lasting relief. We are experienced in diagnosing and treating endometriosis and offer effective treatments and testing methods, including pelvic laparoscopies, transvaginal ultrasounds, and pelvic exams. Our surgical approach of radical resection has helped women achieve a pain-free life.
To learn more about our approach to treating endometriosis, call our office at (781) 235-4000 or request an appointment online to schedule your endometriosis consultation in Wellesley, MA today.
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What Is Endometriosis?
Every month, or roughly every 28 days, the tissue lining of your uterus builds up and sheds during your period. Endometriosis occurs when similar tissue starts growing outside the uterus, commonly on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bowel, bladder, or tissue lining the pelvis. Because this displaced tissue still responds to your hormonal cycle, it thickens, breaks down, and bleeds each month just like the lining inside your uterus does. The difference is that this blood has nowhere to go, which leads to inflammation, scar tissue, and the chronic pain so many patients describe.
Endometriosis is most often diagnosed in women in their 30s and 40s, though symptoms typically begin much earlier, during the reproductive years, which is part of why it’s so often dismissed or misattributed to “bad periods” for years before being properly diagnosed.
The specialists of Brigham Wellesley OB/GYN Associates can help diagnose your symptoms as endometriosis and determine the best treatment for you.
What Causes Endometriosis?
Researchers don’t yet have a single, confirmed explanation, but our understandings around endometriosis have advanced significantly. There are multiple theories regarding the root causes of endometriosis. The older theories suggest endometriosis cells spread through the lymph nodes or blood vessels, but this hasn’t been supported by any factual evidence. We do know that a process called retrograde menstruation, where the menstrual blood flows backward into the pelvis rather than out of the body, happens in most women. But since relatively few women who experience retrograde menstruation actually develop endometriosis, researchers believe other factors are also at play, including:
- Immune system dysfunction that fails to clear misplaced endometrial cells
- Underlying inflammatory processes
- Genetic and hereditary factors
In short, it’s not something you caused or could have prevented, and it’s not just your period. It’s a complex condition, and it deserves a real treatment plan.
What Are the Symptoms of Endometriosis?
Symptoms of endometriosis vary widely from patient to patient. Some women have severe endometriosis with minimal pain, while others have mild disease with debilitating symptoms. That mismatch is part of why self-diagnosis is so hard, and why it’s worth having a specialist evaluate what you’re feeling.
The most common symptoms that women experience if they have endometriosis include:
Pain from endometriosis is caused by the benign growth of the endometrial lining. These growths bleed in the same way as your uterus during your period. Other problems can result such as your fallopian tubes being blocked, inflammation, and scar tissue around your uterus, intestines, or bladder.
- Painful menstrual cramps that go beyond typical discomfort
- Chronic pelvic pain, including pain in the lower abdomen or intestines
- Chronic fatigue
- Pain during or after sex
- Difficulty getting pregnant
- Painful bowel movements or urination, especially during your menstrual period
- Longer and heavier periods than usual
- Digestive issues, including bloating, constipation, or diarrhea
How is Endometriosis Diagnosed?
Diagnosis usually starts with a conversation. We’ll ask about your symptoms, your cycle, your pain patterns, and your family history, then move into a physical evaluation. Depending on what we find, that may include:
- Pelvic Exam: During a pelvic exam, your gynecologist may be able to feel for large cysts or scars behind your uterus. An ultrasound or MRI may also be done by our team to check for ovarian cysts.
- Transvaginal ultrasound: Imaging that helps us look for ovarian cysts called endometriomas associated with endometriosis and rule out other causes of pelvic pain.
- MRI: An MRI is used in some cases for a more detailed view of deep or complex disease before planning treatment.
- Diagnostic laparoscopy: Surgery remains the only way to confirm endometriosis with certainty. Using a small camera inserted through a tiny incision, your surgeon can directly visualize, and often biopsy or treat, endometrial tissue growths in the same procedure.
We’ll walk you through which of these makes the most sense for your case and explain why, rather than running through a checklist. Not every patient needs surgery, but every patient deserves answers.
Our Approach to Endometriosis Treatments
For patients who need surgery, Brigham Wellesley OB/GYN Associates takes a radical resection approach, meaning we aim to remove endometriosis tissue as thoroughly and precisely as possible, rather than simply treating the surface of visible lesions. This more comprehensive technique has helped patients throughout Boston and the surrounding communities achieve lasting, meaningful pain relief, rather than a temporary reprieve that fades within months.
We know surgery is a big decision, and we’ll talk you through exactly what radical resection involves, what recovery looks like, and how it may affect your fertility, before you ever have to decide on a procedure.
How Is Endometriosis Managed and Treated?
There’s no cure for endometriosis yet, but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck living with the chronic pain of your diagnosis. Endometriosis treatments depend on the condition’s severity and are highly individualized. One of the biggest factors we discuss with patients up front is whether you’re hoping to conceive now, later, or not at all, because that will shape which option will help you reach your goals.
If you are not trying to get pregnant, hormonal birth control is usually the first step to help reduce pain and bleeding. By regulating or suppressing your cycle, it can significantly reduce the inflammation and bleeding that drive endometriosis pain. In some cases, we may also recommend other hormone therapies designed to help rebalance the hormonal environment that allows endometriosis to flare.
If you are trying to get pregnant, there are other hormonal medications that may help treat endometriosis. When birth control isn’t an option, pain medications may also be suggested for your symptoms. Some of the medications are anti-inflammatory and will focus on reducing inflammation and pain without interfering with your fertility goals, alongside a fertility-focused treatment plan.
Surgery is typically recommended only when symptoms are very severe, other treatments haven’t worked, or endometriosis is affecting your fertility. During surgery, the endometriosis growths, scar tissue, and cysts are removed, offering many patients significant, more long-lasting pain relief than medication alone.
Endometriosis and Fertility
Endometriosis is one of the most common contributors to infertility, but a diagnosis doesn’t mean pregnancy isn’t possible. Many patients with endometriosis go on to conceive, sometimes with no intervention beyond monitoring, and sometimes with the help of surgery, medications, or fertility treatment. If building a family is part of your story, that goal will shape every recommendation we make.
Why Do Patients Choose Brigham Wellesley OB/GYN Associates for Their Endometriosis Treatment?
Endometriosis is a condition that’s too often minimized, and we’ve built our practice around doing the opposite. We listen carefully, diagnose thoroughly, and treat aggressively when that’s what a patient requires of us. Our team has extensive experience with both the diagnostic side of endometriosis through pelvic exams, ultrasound, and laparoscopy, as well as advanced surgical treatment, including radical resection for patients with more extensive disease. We’ve helped women across Boston and beyond move from years of unexplained and dismissed pain to a real plan for relief.
Schedule Your Endometriosis Consultation at Brigham Wellesley OB/GYN Associates Today
If you’ve been living with pelvic pain, heavy periods, and all the other issues associated with endometriosis, and have been searching for someone to take it seriously, we welcome you to schedule your consultation today. Call our office at (781) 235-4000 or request your consultation through our online form. We look forward to helping you find answers, receive treatment, and reclaim control of your life.
Endometriosis Frequently Asked Questions
Is endometriosis curable?
There’s currently no cure, but symptoms can be effectively managed with careful diagnosis and a treatment plan that is tailored to your symptoms. For many patients, medication, lifestyle changes, and surgical treatment provide long-term relief.
Can I still get pregnant if I have endometriosis?
Many patients with endometriosis conceive successfully, though it can take longer or require additional support depending on severity. We’ll build a plan around your specific goals.
Do I need surgery to be diagnosed?
Not necessarily. We often start with a pelvic exam and imaging. Laparoscopy is the only way to confirm endometriosis with certainty, but it’s not always the first step. During your consultation, we’ll walk through your medical history and examine any test you’ve already received, as well as provide our own tests to get a clear image of what you’re experiencing. From there, we will discuss next options and how we plan to move forward with your treatment.
How do I know if my period pain is “normal” or something more?
If your pain regularly interferes with work, school, or daily life, or doesn’t respond to over-the-counter pain relief, it’s worth getting evaluated. You know your body, it’s important that you trust that instinct. Leave it to us to listen to you and build a plan that responds to your concerns.