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According to Endometriosis UK, 1 in 10 women and those assigned female of birth of reproductive age in the UK suffer from endometriosis and 176 million women worldwide have endometriosis.
With these staggering statistics, you’d be forgiven for thinking that getting a diagnosis for this extremely common disease would be fairly straightforward. However, it takes on average around 7.5 years to be diagnosed with the debilitating condition.
What exactly is endometriosis?
On their website, the NHS explains: “Endometriosis is where cells similar to those in the lining of the womb (uterus) grow in other parts of the body.
“Endometriosis is often found in areas around the womb, such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes and lining of the pelvis. It also sometimes affects organs, such as the bladder and bowel. Rarely, endometriosis is found in areas outside the pelvis, such as in the chest.
“Symptoms happen when patches of endometriosis break down and bleed during your period but cannot leave your body.”
This condition can cause chronic pelvic pain, debilitating period pain, excessive bleeding and pain during sex.
A former NHS doctor and TikTok creator, Doctor Michael, has explained why it can take so long and to be honest, it’s pretty frustrating.
The upsetting secret behind endometriosis diagnosis wait times
@drmichaelsays “Endometriosis? It’s made up.” That’s what an Australian radio host recently claimed, dismissing a condition that affects 1 in 9 women and causes debilitating pain, fertility struggles, and life-altering symptoms. Let’s set the record straight. Endometriosis is real—and it’s far more than just “bad periods.” It’s a chronic inflammatory disease where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, leading to scarring, organ damage, and severe pain. Yet, it takes an average of 7 years for women to be diagnosed, largely due to misinformation and a lack of awareness. In this video, Dr. Michael breaks down: ✅ What endometriosis actually is (with clear, simple explanations) ✅ Why it’s not “just bad cramps” – the difference between normal period pain and chronic disease ✅ How endometriosis is diagnosed and treated – from medical management to surgery ✅ The impact of dismissing women’s pain – why outdated attitudes hold back progress It’s time to replace misinformation with education. Share this to spread awareness—because no one should have their pain ignored! #Endometriosis#WomensHealth#MedicalMyths#drmichaelsays @triple j
Dr Michael says: “One of the reasons that we’re not very good at diagnosing [endometriosis] is that in the past, these symptoms haven’t been taken seriously, and women have been gaslit.
“But hopefully, things are changing.”
While it’s hopeful that women are being taken more seriously in the year 2025(!), the medical expert confesses that there is still a long road ahead for people who may have the condition.
“The problems don’t stop there because once your doctor thinks that you might have endometriosis, getting a formal diagnosis is quite difficult as well. That’s because it doesn’t show up on ultrasounds, even internal ultrasounds.
“A lot of the time, it won’t even show up on an MRI and most of the time, you’ll have to get a keyhole surgery to look for it and diagnose it.”
He goes on to say that endometriosis is caused by a really complicated process involving hormone dysregulation, immune system issues and genetic factors.
Finally, he advises: “If you have heavy, painful periods, if you have pain during sex, or if you have chronic pelvic pain all the time, you need to go and see your doctor and ask them ‘could this be endometriosis?’”
Endometriosis UK offer a range of support to people experiencing endometriosis symptoms.
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