Part 3 - Endometriosis Exposed: Finding Relief - WMDT 47 News - Delmarva's Choice

WMDT 47 News - In part 3 of our special report on Endometriosis, a debilitating disease affecting millions of women, how women can find relief from the pain. Since there is currently no cure for Endometriosis, pain management appears to be at the forefront of treatment. Although in severe cases, pills don't always work. This rings true for Emily LaCates, who is battling the disease, she says, "I've been on Tremidol, Vicodin, Tylenol with codeine; it didn't really help. I know at one point, I went to the hospital and they gave me a shot for pain; so it's just been a mess, with all that trying to figure out what's best for me."

Doctors often prescribe birth control pills to try and treat the disease, but even some experts are not sure if this is effective. LaCates says she received mixed remedy recommendations, "They pretty much tell you get on birth control, get pregnant, do this, do that, get a hysterectomy. And I'm 25-years-old, I don't want a hysterectomy this early." But experts like Pam Fleckenstein, CRNP at Women's Wellness, remind that some treatments are more extreme, "Hysterectomy is the last option, especially in women who haven't had children and have hopes of having children."

And even a hysterectomy is not a cure all. We're told women who've had their uteruses removed, still report symptoms. "Nothing's 100% guaranteed. But, they can, with lasers, go in an clean up the endometrial patches as best they can," says Fleckenstein. She adds that for some women, one surgery can fix the problem, "most women deal with it to a certain degree, even after treatment, for the rest of their lives."

But the Endometriosis Association tells us researchers are now working on possible drug treatments, and there are other options, like physical therapy and acupuncture, which shows some positive results. Experts say nutrition is key. They recommend eating organic and avoiding chemicals like cleaning fluids, plastics, and even perfumes.  

In the final part of this series, we take a look at what life is like for one women suffering from this illness and her personal fight to find a cure. Tune in to WMDT News at 6 Friday night for the full report.