“While causes are still just theoretical, there are significant risk factors that doctors should pay attention to when diagnosing patients.” -Dr. Natalya Danilyants

In a recent EverydayHealth.com article Dr. Natalya Danilyants reveals little-known–but no less important–facts about adenomyosis, a condition that is closely related to endometriosis. April is Adenomyosis Awareness Month, and the GYN specialists at The Center for Innovative GYN Care® (CIGC®) want to ensure women have the facts they need regarding symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment of adenomyosis.

FROM THE ARTICLE:

The Hidden Disease No One Talks About

Adenomyosis is often called “the hidden disease,” for good reason. While endometriosis can be diagnosed by laparoscopic surgery, adenomyosis cannot because it is buried in the muscle. “Adenomyosis tends to get missed on imaging tests. In laparoscopic surgery, you won’t find it unless you cut into the uterus and you happen to cut into the right place, so most of the time it goes undiagnosed. The only time we find out is when we take the uterus out and do a pathology study on it,” says Dr. Danilyants.

Adenomyosis tends not to be discussed much. It is just not on most gynecologists’ radar due to its concealed nature, the fact that it tends to coexist with endometriosis, and that its symptoms sometimes mimic those of other conditions (fibroids, dysfunctional bleeding in addition to endometriosis). Although both endometriosis and adenomyosis often cause pain, endometriosis does not always produce abnormal bleeding as adenomyosis does.