How common is the symptom Exhaustion / Fatigue among people with endometriosis?
97,35% of people with endometriosis reported Exhaustion / Fatigue as a symptom of endometriosis in our survey.
How common is the symptom Exhaustion / Fatigue among people with endometriosis compared to the non-affected group?
44,84% of people with endometriosis suffer from the symptom Exhaustion / Fatigue very strong compared to a prevalence of 7,55% among non-affected individuals.
The following table shows the symptom Exhaustion / Fatigue in people with endometriosis compared to non-affected individuals. The scale ranges from 1 (not at all) to 5 (very strong).
| Symptom severity | Endometriosis | Non-affected | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| not at all | 2,65% | 22,64% | -19,99% |
| slightly | 4,44% | 27,04% | -22,61% |
| moderate | 14,18% | 23,27% | -9,09% |
| strong | 33,89% | 19,50% | 14,39% |
| very strong | 44,84% | 7,55% | 37,29% |
Based on the datasets, we calculated the Kendall correlation. The following symptoms could be related to Exhaustion / Fatigue.
| Symptom name | Correlation |
|---|---|
| Depression | moderate correlation (34,00%) |
| Nausea | moderate correlation (30,00%) |
| Bloated belly / Endo-Belly | weak correlation (29,00%) |
| Dizziness | weak correlation (29,00%) |
| Joint pain | weak correlation (29,00%) |
| Back pain | weak correlation (28,00%) |
| Abdominal pain outside the lower abdomen | weak correlation (28,00%) |
| Limb pain | weak correlation (28,00%) |
| Leg pain | weak correlation (27,00%) |
| Shortness of breath | weak correlation (26,00%) |
| Feeling cold / shivering | weak correlation (25,00%) |
| Headaches / Migraine | weak correlation (25,00%) |
| Chills | weak correlation (24,00%) |
| Numbness in legs | weak correlation (24,00%) |
| Pain during bowel movements | weak correlation (24,00%) |
| Flatulence | weak correlation (24,00%) |
| Kidney pain | weak correlation (23,00%) |
| Lower abdominal pain | weak correlation (23,00%) |
| Shoulder pain | weak correlation (23,00%) |
| Food cravings | weak correlation (23,00%) |
| Hot flashes | weak correlation (21,00%) |
| Frequent urination | weak correlation (21,00%) |
| Pain after intercourse | weak correlation (21,00%) |
| Pain during urination | weak correlation (20,00%) |
Fatigue is a so-called syndrome, meaning a collection of different symptoms. Fatigue is defined as an “extraordinary tiredness, insufficient energy reserves, or a markedly increased need for rest that is completely disproportionate to preceding changes in activity.” Thus, fatigue is not a mere fluctuation in how you feel, but a pathological exhaustion. It cannot be resolved by sufficient sleep or other normal recovery mechanisms. Fatigue can occur in connection with a number of conditions; endometriosis is one possible cause of fatigue. Importantly, scientific studies now show that this pathological exhaustion in women with endometriosis is indeed causally related to endometriosis.
Fatigue manifests with the following symptoms:
As a consequence, you may withdraw socially and miss work.
Depending on the study, 50 to 70 percent of women with endometriosis also experience fatigue. The symptoms usually occur shortly before and during your period. Symptoms are particularly pronounced in women who also have lower abdominal pain, period pain (dysmenorrhea), and pain during sexual intercourse (dyspareunia) outside the period. The symptoms also intensify with heavier bleeding and greater pain.
If you have endometriosis and fatigue, the first step is to clarify what is causing this pathological exhaustion. If endometriosis is the cause, treatment involves several components and is tailored individually to you.