Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAppearanceExplaining Endometriosis BloatingSelf-CareMedical and Surgical Treatment OptionsIf Symptoms Don’t Improve
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Appearance
Explaining Endometriosis Bloating
Self-Care
Medical and Surgical Treatment Options
If Symptoms Don’t Improve
Endo belly, or belly distention, is a term describing moderate to severely painful bloating fromendometriosis lesions, comorbid conditions, or surgical complications. Endo belly symptom flare-ups can happen anytime in the menstrual cycle, making them unpredictable.
When to Go the HospitalIf you have unbearable pelvic pain, are without a diagnosis, or are in between surgeries, go to the hospital.Experts also say that if any of the following apply to you, book an appointment with your healthcare provider:Periods become more painful.Sex is painful (during and/or after).There’s a change in your bowel movements, including pain in bowel movement or blood in stool.There’s blood in your urine.You have not become pregnant after having unprotected sex for a year.
When to Go the Hospital
If you have unbearable pelvic pain, are without a diagnosis, or are in between surgeries, go to the hospital.Experts also say that if any of the following apply to you, book an appointment with your healthcare provider:Periods become more painful.Sex is painful (during and/or after).There’s a change in your bowel movements, including pain in bowel movement or blood in stool.There’s blood in your urine.You have not become pregnant after having unprotected sex for a year.
If you have unbearable pelvic pain, are without a diagnosis, or are in between surgeries, go to the hospital.Experts also say that if any of the following apply to you, book an appointment with your healthcare provider:
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How Endo Belly Looks and Feels
Not everyone with endometriosis will experience symptoms. Those who experience symptoms can vary from moderate to severe. Some people may say they feel like they look six months pregnant.This physical change may be particularly challenging for people experiencing infertility, a common symptom of endometriosis.
Endo belly symptoms can interfere with many aspects of someone’s life, including their work and social life. One common symptom is feeling pain, pressure, and tightness in the lower belly.
This pain may worsen:
Endo Belly vs. Bloating
Comorbid GI Conditions
Symptoms of endo belly like bloating andpain while having a bowel movementoverlap with many GI conditions. There is also a known link between endometriosis and comorbid (conditions occurring at the same time) GI conditions.
One large-scale study published in 2023 found people with endometriosis were twice as likely to have comorbid irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and nearly 1.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease than those without endometriosis.
Comorbid GI conditions include:
Endometriosis and IBS
Myth vs. Fact: Endometriosis Lesions and Bleeding
Self-Care to Deflate and Manage Pain
If you’re experiencing endo belly and looking for relief, self-care can help deflate and manage pain. Experts suggest trying over-the-counter pain relievers such as:
Experts also suggest the following self-care strategies for endo belly and pain relief:
What to Eat When You Have Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Comfort and Clothing During Flares
Severe bloating during an endo belly flare can make feeling comfortable in clothing challenging, especially when materials don’t stretch.
More comfortable clothing options during a flare-up may include:
How Do I Know if I Have Bowel Endometriosis?
Even when self-care helps reduce pain and bloating, you may want to consider consulting with a healthcare provider about medical and surgical treatment options. Though there’s no cure for endometriosis, treatment may make the condition and associated symptoms more manageable.
Medical options include hormonal birth control, the first line of treatment for endometriosis. Birth control for endometriosis works best in cases in which pain and symptoms are not severe.Medications that cause temporary menopauseare another medical option.
Surgical treatments may be necessary in cases of severe symptoms, fertility challenges, or when self-care and medical treatment are not providing enough relief.Laparoscopic surgery for endometriosisis a minimally invasive surgery in which a surgeon makes a small incision and removes endometriosis patches (lesions, adhesions, or scars).
What Is Hormone Therapy?
If Nothing Improves Symptoms
If you’ve tried everything, and nothing seems to improve your endo belly symptoms, you may feel discouraged and unsure about the next steps. You may want to consider additional professionals or treatments to consider, such as:
Diet cannot cure endometriosis, but reducing or removing foods that cause bloating may help with comfort levels. These foods include certain dairy products containing lactose and certain carbohydrates including fruit sugar (fructose).
How to Get an Endometriosis Diagnosis
Summary
13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Living with endometriosis.Endometriosis Foundation of America.Managing ‘endo belly’ (severe bloating).Velho RV, Werner F, Mechsner S.Endo belly: What is it and why does it happen?—A narrative review.J Clin Med.2023 Nov 19;12(22):7176. doi: 10.3390/jcm12227176.MedlinePlus.Living with endometriosis.World Health Organization.Endometriosis.Ananias P, Luenam K, Melo JP, et al.Cesarean section: a potential and forgotten risk for abdominal wall endometriosis.Cureus. 2021 Aug 24;13(8):e17410. doi: 10.7759/cureus.17410.American Academy of Family Physicians.Bloating.Yang F, Wu Y, Hockey R, et al.Evidence of shared genetic factors in the etiology of gastrointestinal disorders and endometriosis and clinical implications for disease management.Cell reports. Medicine. 2023;4(11):101250. doi:10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101250Hurd WW, Redwine DB.Endometriosis. In: Bieber EJ, Horowitz IR, Sanfilippo JS, Shafi MI, eds.Clinical Gynecology. 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press; 2015:203-222.Tomassetti C, Johnson NP, Petrozza J, et al.An international terminology for endometriosis, 2021.Hum Reprod Open. 2021(4). doi:10.1093/hropen/hoab029The Endometriosis Network Canada.Dressing for endo.Office on Women’s Health.Endometriosis.MedlinePlus.Bloating.
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Living with endometriosis.Endometriosis Foundation of America.Managing ‘endo belly’ (severe bloating).Velho RV, Werner F, Mechsner S.Endo belly: What is it and why does it happen?—A narrative review.J Clin Med.2023 Nov 19;12(22):7176. doi: 10.3390/jcm12227176.MedlinePlus.Living with endometriosis.World Health Organization.Endometriosis.Ananias P, Luenam K, Melo JP, et al.Cesarean section: a potential and forgotten risk for abdominal wall endometriosis.Cureus. 2021 Aug 24;13(8):e17410. doi: 10.7759/cureus.17410.American Academy of Family Physicians.Bloating.Yang F, Wu Y, Hockey R, et al.Evidence of shared genetic factors in the etiology of gastrointestinal disorders and endometriosis and clinical implications for disease management.Cell reports. Medicine. 2023;4(11):101250. doi:10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101250Hurd WW, Redwine DB.Endometriosis. In: Bieber EJ, Horowitz IR, Sanfilippo JS, Shafi MI, eds.Clinical Gynecology. 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press; 2015:203-222.Tomassetti C, Johnson NP, Petrozza J, et al.An international terminology for endometriosis, 2021.Hum Reprod Open. 2021(4). doi:10.1093/hropen/hoab029The Endometriosis Network Canada.Dressing for endo.Office on Women’s Health.Endometriosis.MedlinePlus.Bloating.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MedlinePlus.Living with endometriosis.Endometriosis Foundation of America.Managing ‘endo belly’ (severe bloating).Velho RV, Werner F, Mechsner S.Endo belly: What is it and why does it happen?—A narrative review.J Clin Med.2023 Nov 19;12(22):7176. doi: 10.3390/jcm12227176.MedlinePlus.Living with endometriosis.World Health Organization.Endometriosis.Ananias P, Luenam K, Melo JP, et al.Cesarean section: a potential and forgotten risk for abdominal wall endometriosis.Cureus. 2021 Aug 24;13(8):e17410. doi: 10.7759/cureus.17410.American Academy of Family Physicians.Bloating.Yang F, Wu Y, Hockey R, et al.Evidence of shared genetic factors in the etiology of gastrointestinal disorders and endometriosis and clinical implications for disease management.Cell reports. Medicine. 2023;4(11):101250. doi:10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101250Hurd WW, Redwine DB.Endometriosis. In: Bieber EJ, Horowitz IR, Sanfilippo JS, Shafi MI, eds.Clinical Gynecology. 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press; 2015:203-222.Tomassetti C, Johnson NP, Petrozza J, et al.An international terminology for endometriosis, 2021.Hum Reprod Open. 2021(4). doi:10.1093/hropen/hoab029The Endometriosis Network Canada.Dressing for endo.Office on Women’s Health.Endometriosis.MedlinePlus.Bloating.
MedlinePlus.Living with endometriosis.
Endometriosis Foundation of America.Managing ‘endo belly’ (severe bloating).
Velho RV, Werner F, Mechsner S.Endo belly: What is it and why does it happen?—A narrative review.J Clin Med.2023 Nov 19;12(22):7176. doi: 10.3390/jcm12227176.
World Health Organization.Endometriosis.
Ananias P, Luenam K, Melo JP, et al.Cesarean section: a potential and forgotten risk for abdominal wall endometriosis.Cureus. 2021 Aug 24;13(8):e17410. doi: 10.7759/cureus.17410.
American Academy of Family Physicians.Bloating.
Yang F, Wu Y, Hockey R, et al.Evidence of shared genetic factors in the etiology of gastrointestinal disorders and endometriosis and clinical implications for disease management.Cell reports. Medicine. 2023;4(11):101250. doi:10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101250
Hurd WW, Redwine DB.Endometriosis. In: Bieber EJ, Horowitz IR, Sanfilippo JS, Shafi MI, eds.Clinical Gynecology. 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press; 2015:203-222.
Tomassetti C, Johnson NP, Petrozza J, et al.An international terminology for endometriosis, 2021.Hum Reprod Open. 2021(4). doi:10.1093/hropen/hoab029
The Endometriosis Network Canada.Dressing for endo.
Office on Women’s Health.Endometriosis.
MedlinePlus.Bloating.
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