If you have endometriosis doctors at Florida Hospital's Center for Advanced Gynecologic Surgery will recommend that you treat it with pain medications, hormone therapy or surgery. The actual approach will depend on how prevalent the symptoms are and whether you plan to have children some day. Pain management and hormone therapy are the preferred course of treatment. Surgery is usually a last resort to treat endometriosis.

Medications

Often, over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen will relieve the pain of menstrual cramps. If you don't find relief with a full dose, the pain management experts at Florida Hospital may prescribe a stronger pain reliever or try an entirely different approach to relieving pain.

Hormone Therapy

Hormones can help reduce or eliminate the pain of endometriosis. The rise and fall of hormone levels during your menstrual cycle causes the endometrial tissues to thicken, break down and bleed.

Different hormone therapies used at Florida Hospital include:

Hormonal contraceptives: Hormone contraceptives such as birth control pills, the vaginal ring or patches can help control the hormones that cause the endometrial tissue to build up monthly. When you use a hormonal contraceptive you will typically have a lighter and shorter menstrual flow. The contraceptives can reduce or eliminate the pain of mild to moderate endometriosis.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) agonists and antagonists: Designed to block the production of ovarian-stimulating hormones, this hormone therapy can prevent menstruation and significantly reduce estrogen levels. This causes the endometrial implants to shrink. Using these agonists and antagonists, doctors at Florida Hospital are able to force the endometriosis into remission, often for months or years. These drugs can cause artificial menopause, so your doctor will want to discuss the benefits and side effects of Gn-RH hormone therapy with you.

Danazol: This drug also blocks the production of ovarian-stimulating hormones. It also suppresses the endometrium.

Medroxyprogesterone: Known as Depo-Provera, this drug halts menstruation as well as the growth of endometrial implants, relieving the symptoms of endometriosis.

Aromatase inhibitors: Used for treating breast cancer, these inhibitors block the conversion of hormones such as testosterone or androstenedione into estrogen. This deprives the endometriosis of the estrogen it needs to grow.

Hormonal therapies are only a stopgap measure. The symptoms can return after stopping any hormone therapy treatment for endometriosis.

Surgery

Surgery is usually a last resort. If you want to become pregnant, surgery to remove the endometriosis can increase your chances of conceiving.

Utilizing laparoscopic surgery, surgeons at Florida Hospital's Center for Advanced Gynecologic Surgery will insert small instruments through an incision near the navel. As the surgeon views the surgical field, the endometrial implants will be removed via a laser, surgical implements or cauterization, where the tissue is destroyed by heat. This technique produces a smaller incision, less pain and a quicker recovery time.

In extreme cases of endometriosis, doctors may recommend a total hysterectomy, including the removal of both ovaries. If it is necessary, surgeons at Florida Hospital have led the way in developing new techniques that improve patient outcomes, including the revolutionary da Vinci® robotic system. This amazing technology allows our highly skilled and experienced surgeons to conduct minimally invasive surgery with fewer complications, less pain and faster recovery when compared to traditional hysterectomies.