Women in New Mexico who suffer from endometriosis may experience excruciating pain that makes it difficult for them to live a normal life. Even though the symptoms of endometriosis can be so noticeable, many women who suffer from the disease do not know what is wrong. A report in the Journal of Human Reproduction found that the average endometriosis patient waited 12 years for a correct diagnosis.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Endometriosis Foundation of America are collaborating on a campaign to get more attention on endometriosis. The two nonprofit organizations hope to improve diagnosis and care for patients with endometriosis and to improve the training that surgeons treating endometriosis receive. The campaign will focus on adolescent gynecology in the hopes that more young people with endometriosis will not have to endure a significant delay in their diagnosis.
A relatively common disease, endometriosis affects 10 percent of reproductive-age women around the world. Women with endometriosis have lesions on their uterus, ovaries, intestines, rectum and other areas in the pelvic region. The lesions grow slowly and can sometimes spread to the kidneys, lungs or brain in severe cases. Some endometriosis patients are treated with surgery.
A patient with endometriosis may be misdiagnosed with a number of different conditions when they visit the doctor complaining of abdominal pain. The failure to diagnose could cause a patient’s endometriosis to become worse from the lack of treatment. When a patient finally receives a diagnosis of endometriosis, they may decide to pursue financial compensation from the health care providers that misdiagnosed them. An attorney may be able to help an endometriosis patient with the process of filing a medical malpractice claim.
