In devastating news, four in five women with potential endometriosis symptoms have had to resort to home remedies rather than seeking medical help during the pandemic, according to new research from independent charitable hospital King Edward VII’s.
The most popular home remedies include herbal teas, meditation, pelvic massages or cutting out certain foods, as well asking friends and family members for advice, or trying to self-treat using Google.
Endometriosis is the second most common gynaecological condition in the UK. It affects between two and 10 out of 100 women and causes debilitating pain, pain when going to the toilet, pelvic pain or blood in the urine when on your period.
But during the pandemic only one in four with potential symptoms have sought medical help, for some, potentially adding as much as a year to already long diagnosis times.
As a result, these symptoms are having a serious impact on women’s lives. One in four (25%) say their symptoms have left them with poor mental health, and for almost seven in 10 their pain stops them from living their day to day lives. For one in 10, their symptoms have caused issues in their relationship.
And more than half the women surveyed had taken time off work due to potential endometriosis symptoms – an average of 5.5 days off each.
The main barriers to seeking help include concerns about the safety of in-person appointments (51%) and assuming that help won’t be available due to Covid (44%).
Sadly, over half have already given up on getting the treatment they need, worrying about wasting the doctor’s time. A similar number think ‘nothing can be done’ and four in 10 don’t feel they would be able to explain their symptoms properly.
Mr Alfred Cutner, Consultant Gynaecologist at King Edward VII’s Hospital and head of the KEVIIEndometriosis Centre said: “It’s worrying to see that so many women feel that they aren’t able to get help for these sorts of symptoms, despite the huge impact on their day to day lives. On average it can take women over seven years to get a diagnosis. The pandemic may have increased waiting times to be investigated and treated.
“It can be difficult to know when to seek help, as many women put up with period pain throughout their lives, and for some, unfortunately this is a normal part of their cycle. But for women who experience symptoms such as severe period pain, painful sexual intercourse or painful bowel movements along with difficulty getting pregnant, which is impacting on their quality of life, treatment options are available, regardless of the pandemic.”