How common is the symptom Severe menstrual cramps among people with endometriosis?
96,12% of people with endometriosis reported Severe menstrual cramps as a symptom of endometriosis in our survey.
How common is the symptom Severe menstrual cramps among people with endometriosis compared to the non-affected group?
68,15% of people with endometriosis suffer from the symptom Severe menstrual cramps very strong compared to a prevalence of 13,21% among non-affected individuals.
The following table shows the symptom Severe menstrual cramps 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 | 3,88% | 27,04% | -23,16% |
| slightly | 3,24% | 24,53% | -21,29% |
| moderate | 6,31% | 18,24% | -11,93% |
| strong | 18,41% | 16,98% | 1,43% |
| very strong | 68,15% | 13,21% | 54,95% |
Based on the datasets, we calculated the Kendall correlation. The following symptoms could be related to Severe menstrual cramps.
| Symptom name | Correlation |
|---|---|
| Lower abdominal pain | moderate correlation (48,00%) |
| Heavy menstrual bleeding | moderate correlation (36,00%) |
| Prolonged menstrual bleeding | weak correlation (27,00%) |
| Clotted bleeding | weak correlation (27,00%) |
| Nausea | weak correlation (21,00%) |
You may experience your period very differently from others: the spectrum ranges from a slight twinge to extreme pain. For a long time, severe period pain was dismissed as psychosomatic complaints. This also applied to the extreme menstrual pain that can occur with endometriosis. A few years ago, the British National Health Service (NHS) compiled a list of the most agonizing pain conditions. All pains listed there are so pronounced that those affected are unable to manage everyday tasks. Alongside heart attack, bone fractures and herniated disc, migraine and endometriosis also appear on the list.
Endometriosis is a benign but chronic condition that, with few exceptions, affects only women during the reproductive years. Cells similar to those of the uterine lining grow, unlike in women without endometriosis, outside the uterus as well. The endometriosis lesions are influenced by the hormonal cycle and therefore grow each month and then bleed again. If the bleeding cannot leave the body, inflammation, adhesions, cysts and scarring develop. These growths are often found in the pelvis, that is, around the uterus. The ovaries, fallopian tubes, vagina and labia, and the area between the vagina and rectum are particularly often affected.
Because of scarring and adhesions, the contractions of your uterus during menstruation can be perceived as particularly painful. In addition, inflammatory processes trigger severe pain. The endometriosis lesions can also affect nerves, which causes additional extreme pain. The combination of these factors means that some women with endometriosis suffer from very severe period pain. However, not all women who have endometriosis lesions experience this extreme menstrual pain. Your period can also occur without noticeable pain. Important: The extent of endometriosis does not necessarily correlate directly with the severity of symptoms.