Relieving endometriosis pain: why is it so tough?

Finding the solution for the pain of endometriosis is likely to be a time-consuming, often frustrating task. But it is a task that can begin in earnest only once the pain is identified and believed. If a girl or woman with endometriosis is ashamed to discuss her pain or her symptoms are dismissed or minimized by her physician, it is inevitable that her pain will continue untreated. The first step in treating the pain of endometriosis is to encourage patients to discuss their pain frankly. A pain map, diary, and descriptors may be helpful, but listening and believing the patient are essential.