Project 1

What is Endometriosis?

1 in 9 assigned female at birth

Endometriosis is defined as "a chronic inflammatory condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus is found in other parts of the body."

Endometriosis affects 1 in 9 people assigned female at birth, equating to 830,000 people here in Australia and 190 million people worldwide.

It is characterised by painful periods, general pain, pain with sexual intercourse, bladder and bowel symptoms, fatigue and infertility. It has a significant impact on a person's quality of life and mental health.
‍
Endometriosis is diagnosed via symptom history, specialised pelvic ultrasound and laparoscopic surgery. The average time to diagnosis is 6.5 years.
Endometriosis is categorised by location:
‍‍

Superficial peritoneal endometriosis- endometriosis on the lining of the peritoneal cavity
Endometriomas- known as 'chocolate cysts', they are dark brown fluid- filled cysts on the ovaries
Deep infiltrating endometriosis (type 1 and 2), occurs when the endometriosis lesion has grown >0.5cm into the affected organ (type 1= within the pelvic area, type 2= outside the pelvic area)

‍

Disease severity does not correlate with symptom severity.
This means that a person can have superficial endometriosis but have severe symptoms and pain.

Every person's endometriosis looks different.
This means every person's holistic care should also look different.

What is holistic care and why is it so important?

Holistic care is an approach to healthcare that considers the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of an individual, aiming to treat the person as a whole rather than focusing solely on specific symptoms or conditions.

While these approaches may not cure endometriosis, they can help manage symptoms and improve overall well-being.

We know holistic care helps, let us help you find the right holistic care

One of our core values is 'inclusive'. We welcome all and acknowledge that Endometriosis can affect transmen, non-binary, and gender-diverse individuals.
🟪🟦🟩🟨🟧🟥