Endometriosis: Do you know a teenage girl or young female with abdominal or pelvic pain?

Do you know a teenage girl or young female with abdominal or pelvic pain?

Some teenage girls or young females may complain of pelvic or abdominal pain. In fact, this pain may be so severe that it can force them to miss school or work, stop participating in extra-curricular activities or sports, and spend less time with their family and friends. The cause of this pain may be unknown at first and may take years to diagnosis. Often, the cause of this pain may be due to a condition called endometriosis.

Endo-what?? Endometriosis is when endometrial (or uterine) tissue is implanted outside the uterus and can cause extreme pelvic and/or abdominal discomfort as described above. Just as it can affect adult women, endometriosis can also affect teenage girls and younger females. In fact, two-thirds of adult women with endometriosis report that their symptoms started before the age of 20.¹

In addition to severe abdominal and pelvic pain, many teenage girls or young females may also report low back, groin, hip, and/or upper back pain. This can be in part due to the endometriosis, but may also be due to changes in posture that occur because of pain. These changes can cause imbalances that alter how the muscles function and can be looked at by a physical therapist.

Pelvic floor physical therapy may help address certain muscular or postural imbalances and help teenage girls or young females with pelvic pain or endometriosis better manage their pain.² Certain treatments such as exercise and manual therapy techniques can be used by a physical therapist with the goal of helping these individuals attend more school with less absences, spend more time socializing with their family and friends, and participate more in their sports or extra-curricular activities with less difficulty.

Are you a teenage girl or young female who has been told they have endometriosis? Do you know of someone who has been told they have endometriosis or has any of the above complaints? Have you been struggling with abdominal or pelvic pain and can’t seem to find any relief? Pelvic floor physical therapy may help! Call us at (310) 441-1102 to learn more or schedule an appointment.

1. Slocum B, Sanfilipp J. “Current methods for the management of endometriosis in adolescent patients.” Expert Review of Endocrinology & Metabolism.” 2017;12(1):1-4.
2. Smorgick N, As-Sanie S. “Pelvic Pain in Adolescents.” Semin Reprod Med. 2018; 36:116-122.