02 Jul Endometriosis – You could fly to the moon 456 times before you get diagnosed
Research by Yoppie, the pioneers of personalised period care, has highlighted just how slow the diagnosis of Endometriosis is within the UK, despite 1.5m women suffering from the condition.
Endometriosis is the accumulation of tissue within parts of the female body, similar to the tissue that lines the womb. Like the lining of the womb, this tissue builds up each month before bleeding and this is often concentrated around the reproductive organs, bladder and bowel.
However, unlike the womb, there is no way for this tissue to leave the body and once trapped it can cause scar tissue to form, as well as pain and inflammation.
One in 10 women will suffer from Endometriosis and while some will have no symptoms, it can also cause severe pain in the pelvis, pain during intercourse or when going to the loo, as well as wider fatigue and even difficulties when trying to have children.
While there is currently no cure, there are treatments available to reduce the symptoms including anti-inflammatories, hormone treatment and in the most severe cases, surgery. However, getting this treatment can be a long process and on average, it takes seven and a half years to secure a diagnosis.
That means in the time taken to diagnose Endometriosis you could travel to the moon and back 456 times!
You could also climb Mount Everest 45 times or run 14,231 marathons, although you probably couldn’t due to your Endometriosis symptoms.
Founder of Yoppie, Daniella Peri, commented:
“Endometriosis is tricky to diagnose due to the fact that symptoms can differ drastically from one woman to the next and they can often be similar to other conditions, resulting in misdiagnosis.
Of course, the strain put on our health system due to the current pandemic means that many women will be facing even longer before receiving the correct medical care. But putting this unpreventable factor to one side, an average timeframe of seven and a half years simply isn’t good enough and can seriously impact the quality of life for those suffering from the most severe symptoms.
We would like to see more done to raise the awareness of this condition and provide support and advice for those suffering so that they can receive the help they need in order to get on with their lives.”
In the meantime, Yoppie is here to help. Yoppie has already launched a range of PMS supplements specifically targeted at the most common PMS symptoms, many of which align with those suffered as a result of Endometriosis. While these can act as a potential management tool for sufferers, Yoppie is also actively looking into further product innovation to further address the issue.
Yoppie has also covered the subject widely on their blog, Full Stop, providing plenty of scientifically backed resources to help women educate themselves and understand when they should seek help.
