March 2026: Endometriosis Awareness Month!
Eliana Ranalli, 17th of March 2026
Women grow up being told period pain is “normal”, “part of being a woman”. This message is engrained into our beliefs from a young age and much like many women’s health concerns, period pain is dismissed and under-studied.
March is endometriosis awareness month and today I spoke with our very own Dr Keisuke Tanaka about what it really means to have endometriosis, common symptoms, diagnosis and care. Dr Tanaka is a highly skilled gynaecologist with an exceptional academic and surgical background in complex gynaecological conditions.
Dr. Tanaka’s PhD focused on the menstrual cycle and endometriosis, with his contributions to the field extending globally as he serves as a reviewer for esteemed journals like Human Reproduction and the Journal of Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Disorders. His research has been published in leading medical journals, and he has presented his work at national and international conferences.
So, what is Endometriosis?
Having Endometriosis can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Technically, it's when tissue that is similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus and in other parts of the body. This lining is called the endometrium, and this is the layer of tissue that is shed each month with menstruation (period) or where a pregnancy settles and grows.
Common symptoms include:
- Period pain that stops you from going to work, school, or social events
- Pelvic pain outside of your period
- Pain during or after sex
- Heavy or irregular bleeding
- Pain with bowel movements or urination, especially during menstruation
- Ongoing fatigue
- Difficulty falling pregnant
But this doesn’t mean everyone has the same experience. There is a lot to unpack when discussing endometriosis and it’s not a condition that can be treated and forgotten about. This is why endometriosis awareness month is so important.
“But Everyone Has Painful Periods”
Well not really. This is where things get confusing and information can get overwhelming.
Endometriosis is currently thought to be a chronic systemic inflammatory disease with pain as the most common symptom. Chronic pain has a significant impact on the quality of life and psychological health of endometriosis patients, as well as the level of medical care received and socioeconomic development.
Many women with endometriosis are told their pain is normal and are reassured that scans look fine, so everything else must be fine, right? But no. Endometriosis doesn’t always show up on these routine imaging, which is why getting a diagnosis can be so difficult.
It can take years for someone with endometriosis to receive a diagnosis. During that time, you're faced with chronic pain that significantly impacts your quality of life and psychological health.
So how do you know for certain?
Currently, the gold standard of endometriosis diagnosis and treatment is a keyhole surgery called laparoscopic surgery, which is performed under general anaesthetic. This allows your doctor direct visualization and collection of tissue to be taken for biopsies. With this information they are able to confirm the presence of endometrial tissue that needs to be treated, which would be done during the same surgery.
It's important to be aware that while endometriosis can be treated surgically during the operation, getting this operation doesn’t always resolve all symptoms and concerns. If your symptoms aren't being caused by endometriosis it’s possible this particular surgery may not be as effective. Although, it is important to investigate the area and tissue to rule out possible underlying causes and gain a better anatomical understanding of your symptoms.
What to do now?
Once you have spoken to your healthcare professional, you may be recommended hormone medicines that aim to reduce pain and the severity of endometriosis by slowing the growth of endometriosis. Depending on your situation, your doctor may recommend the following medicines:
- Oral contraception (the pill)
- Progestogen (e.g. pills, injections or IUD)
- Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists
- Combined GnRH antagonist, oestrogen and progestogen pill, known as ‘combined relugolix treatment’.
Many women experience some relief of painful symptoms with over-the-counter medications such as paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories such as Ponstan, Nurofen and Naprogesic.
While there is no direct evidence between a healthy lifestyle and endometriosis treatment, it’s important to note that chronic disease symptoms respond well to healthy lifestyle habits. Promoting a healthy immune system, getting enough sleep, and maintaining physical activity help to decrease inflammation and improve mental wellbeing and hygiene. Book in with one of our nurses for a free chat to discuss what the next best step is!
Endometriosis Awareness Month is about validating those experiences and reminding women they deserve answers.
If you or a loved one experiences any of these symptoms, it’s important to show them support and help them find the treatment that works for them.
Our doctors at Northside Gynaecology are always here to discuss possible treatment and management options.
