More common than you may think—according to the World Health Organisation, about 10% of women and people assigned female at birth have endometriosis. That works out to be about 190 million people globally!

Yes. Endometriosis is an oestrogen-dependent condition, which means that it relies on this hormone to develop and grow. Oestrogen can also aggravate your symptoms.

That’s why some hormonal treatments for endo aim to limit the production of oestrogen in the body, as this can cause endometriosis tissue to shrink. But they can come with side effects, so you should always check with your doctor before starting a new treatment.

Currently, the only way to know for sure if you have endometriosis is via keyhole surgery (laparoscopy), where your doctor is able to look for and identify endometriosis tissue.  

Sometimes, your doctor will perform an ultrasound scan or pelvic exam to look for physical signs of the condition. These can indicate how likely it is that you have endo, but can’t tell you for certain whether you have it. This is why it takes an average of 8 years to get diagnosed with the condition. 

But even if you haven’t received a formal diagnosis, you’re most welcome to join our expert-led programmes, where you’ll learn science-backed solutions for managing your symptoms.

Different types of endometriosis can look different inside the body and everyone’s experience will be different. 

As a general guide, superficial endometriosis, which is the least severe and most common type, appears as small patches on the lining of the pelvis. Patches can be clear, white, brown, red, black or blue, and can be flat or raised. 

Deep-infiltrating endometriosis is when endometriosis tissue gets into your organs. The affected tissue can appear lumpy and with growths (nodules) on it. 

Endometriosis cysts vary in size and look a bit like dark brown blobs—hence their nickname of “chocolate cysts”.

This varies from person to person and can depend on what triggered it. For example, some people experience pain during their period, which lasts for the days that they bleed. However, it is not uncommon to have flare ups at other points of your cycle – remember, endo is not simply ‘a painful period’ 

Some people have flares that last for less than a few hours, while for others it carries on for weeks or months. 

Stress, certain foods, and physical activity are other factors that could bring on a flare—but sometimes there’s no obvious reason why they happen.

Endometriosis is strongly affected by our hormones, especially oestrogen and progesterone. So, balancing these hormones is one way to help manage your symptoms. 

As well as treatments your doctor might recommend, like the pill, many find that certain lifestyle changes can help. For example, eating foods that reduce inflammation or support your gut health — which both play a role in hormonal balance — as well as managing your stress levels.

At Parla, we’re all about self-care rooted in science. Browse our products or courses to learn more about natural solutions that may help with your endo.