Pain is the one Endometriosis symptom that almost all my clients have, the one that interferes the most with having a normal life AND the one that can give you the most improvement if you start eating differently.

You can have different types of pain:

• Chronic: this is pain you basically feel constantly. It may be worse on some days and less on others, it may change in intensity or sharpness or where you feel it, but it is your constant companion. It can be caused by tissue and blood your body has no way of removing, or by scar tissue where endometrial tissue was.
• Period pain, which can you experience during your period and which disappears once your period is over. The pain can be intense, excruciating, and felt anywhere. It may cause you to throw up.
• During ovulation: this can occur when the follicle on the ovary ruptures, the egg bursts out of the follicle or because of spasms of your Fallopian tubes. It is often one-sided, and these are normal causes of ovulation Chronic inflammation of your Fallopian tubes can make the ovulation pain worse, as can Endometriosis on your Fallopian tubes.

There are also a few types of pain that are less common in Endometriosis, but that doesn’t make them any easier to live with.

Many of my clients have migraines or headaches. Certain food intolerances are known to cause migraines so removing the foods that are known to cause problems can often reduce them quite dramatically.

Some women experience pain in their back, their legs or their thighs, caused by endometrial tissue on your spine or in your pelvic cavity where it can damage nerves.

And then there is pain in your rectum, which makes bowel movements excruciating; when urinating; painful intercourse; and even chest pain.

It is important to realise that endometrial tissue can be found throughout the body, causing pain either when you have your period or because of scar-tissue. And none of these are normal if they are chronic or recurring and interfere with normal daily activities!

With inflammation being the underpinning factor in endometriosis and therefore any type of pain, your diet plays an important role.

If you are wondering if what you eat might be contributing to your pain, register for the free online workshop “How to work out if what you EAT is making your Endometriosis symptoms WORSE”. It runs on Tuesday 7 July, 7pm-7.45pm. You can find out more here.