Is endometriosis curable? Main treatment options

Endometriosis is a chronic disease of the female reproductive system that has no cure, but can be controlled through proper and well-guided treatment by a gynecologist. Thus, as long as regular consultations are made with the doctor and all the guidelines are followed, in most cases, it is possible to greatly improve the quality of life and relieve all discomforts.

The most used types of treatments are the use of drugs and surgery, but the therapeutic regimen may vary according to the woman, and the doctor usually chooses the treatment after evaluating some factors, such as:

• Woman’s age;
• Intensity of symptoms;
• Willingness to have children.

Sometimes the doctor may start one treatment and then switch to another, depending on the response of the woman’s body. For this reason, it is very important to consult regularly to ensure the best results. Learn about all treatment options for endometriosis.

Generally, at menopause, the progression of endometriosis slows down, as there is a decrease in female hormones and consequent shortage of menstruation. This factor associated with a correct approach to the disease can represent a “near cure” of endometriosis for many women.

Treatment options for endometriosis

Treatment options usually vary more according to the desire to have children, and can be divided into 2 main types:

1. Young women who wish to have children

In these cases, treatment typically includes the use of:

• Oral contraceptives;
• Hormonal medicines such as Zoladex;
• Mirena IUD;
• Surgery to remove foci of endometriosis.

Endometriosis surgery is performed by videolaparoscopy that can remove the tissue without the need to remove the involved organs and/or cauterize the small foci of endometriosis.

As for hormonal drugs, when the woman wants to become pregnant, she can stop taking them, and then start trying. Although these women have a higher risk of miscarriage, their chances of becoming pregnant become similar to those of a healthy woman. Here’s how you can get pregnant with endometriosis.

2. Women who do not wish to have children

For women who do not intend to become pregnant, the treatment of choice is usually surgery to remove all endometrial tissue and affected organs. In some cases, after remission of the disease, over the years, endometriosis can return and reach other organs, and treatment must be restarted. See how endometriosis surgery is performed.

Watch the video with Dr. Helizabet Ribeiro, a gynecologist specializing in endometriosis who clarifies all doubts about this disease: