Finally, doctors have been told to get their acts together in making sure Endometriosis doesn’t go undetected.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence have been given doctors guidelines to follow in order to avoid missing the disease. The instructions were given after concerning reports revealed that women can be left undiagnosed for Endometriosis for an average of six to eight years.
'Delayed diagnosis is a significant problem for many women with endometriosis leading them to years of unnecessary distress and suffering.' It can also make treatment more difficult if gone unnoticed. Nice claims the disease is costing the UK £8.2bn a year and is affecting an estimated 1 in 10 women that are of a child-bearing age in the UK.
The disease that can leave women infertile and unable to work, occurs when the lining of the uterus grows in other parts of the body. These areas include the fallopian tubes, ovaries, parts of the stomach and bladder or bowel. It can leave women with crippling pain, with symptoms including chronic pelvic pain, pain during sexual intercourse and extremely painful period pains.
Nice have told doctors not to rule out endometriosis if patients have the above symptoms. They have also been given suggested ways to check for the disease such as ultra sounds and key hole surgery.
Chief executive of Endometriosis UK, Emma Cox said: 'The new Nice guidance provides a welcome opportunity to raise the bar in endometriosis care by increasing awareness, and setting standards of skills, knowledge and experience for healthcare professionals.'
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.