Lili Reinhart Diagnosed with Endometriosis After Pain Was Dismissed; Early Signs She Experienced

Lili Reinhart said she has been diagnosed with endometriosis after doctors constantly dismissed her symptoms of severe pain. The Riverdale actress posted photos on her social media from a hospital bed after undergoing laparoscopic surgery. The 29-year-old shared she was told she had endometriosis – a condition where tissue that is similar to the lining of your uterus grows on other parts of your body – leading to unbearable cramps and chronic pain. “Last year, I saw a urogynecologist and was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis. I was told there was no cure, and no lasting relief - for my symptoms,” she wrote on Instagram. “Three hospital visits. Multiple urologists and gynecologists. And not one of them seriously considered endometriosis as the underlying

cause of what I was experiencing. It wasn’t until I worked with two different pelvic floor therapists that the word endometriosis was even mentioned to me as a possible source of my pain,” she added.

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Reinhart pushed for an MRI

Reinhart said she herself pushed for an MRI, which ultimately led to her diagnosis of adenomyosis - a type of endometriosis that only occurs in the uterus. Earlier this year, Reinhart had opened up about her health struggles and an unknown illness she was dealing with.

What is endometriosis?

According to doctors, endometriosis happens when the tissue, similar to the lining of your uterus, grows in the wrong places, causing painful symptoms that impact not only your menstrual cycle but also your daily life. Many women with this condition find it extremely difficult to get pregnant due to scarring and fallopian tube blockage. Some of the most common places you can develop endometriosis include the:

• Space behind your uterus
• Myometrium - a layer of your uterine wall
• Ovaries
• Peritoneum
• Fallopian tubes
• Diaphragm
• Vagina
• Lungs

According to experts, around one in ten women across the world suffer from endometriosis and are most often diagnosed in their 20s and 30s.

What causes endometriosis?

While doctors do not know what causes endometriosis, if you have the condition, the tissue that is similar to the lining of your uterus grows in the wrong places. Researchers are looking for a connection between endometriosis and conditions like immune system conditions and hormone disorders as possible factors that may lead to the condition. A few studies have suggested that endometriosis may be genetic. If another woman in your biological family - your mother, grandmother, or sister - has endometriosis, talk to your doctor about your risk.

Signs and symptoms of endometriosis

There are many symptoms of endometriosis, a few of which include:

• Pelvic pain
• Very painful menstrual cramps
• Abdominal pain or back pain
• Heavy bleeding during periods
• Light spotting between periods
• Pain during sex
• Infertility
• Pain when pooping or peeing
• Stomach issues like diarrhoea or constipation

You can also have no symptoms of endometriosis. Sometimes, you can have it and not know until you’re unable to get pregnant. There’s no connection between your symptoms and the severity of the condition. Some women may have very few patches of endometriosis and still experience severe pain. Other people might have many patches of endometriosis, but not experience any pain.