This can cause severe abdominal pain and lead to reproductive challenges.Īccording to the World Health Organization, endometriosis affects 10% of the world’s population, roughly 190 million women, of reproductive age across the globe. What is endometriosis?Įndometriosis is a chronic gynecological condition that causes tissue, similar to what lines the uterus, to grow outside and around other organs. In this article, we'll explore the symptoms and causes of IBS and endometriosis the various management options available what they have in common, as well as the differences so you can be informed when discussing your symptoms with your doctor.įirst up, let's take a look at endometriosis. While both IBS and endometriosis can be accompanied by abdominal pain and cramping, diarrhea and/or constipation, bloating, and nausea -their causes and management are quite different.

In the same age group, only 7% of adolescents without endometriosis had IBS. It is also possible to have both endometriosis and IBS, with one study showing 24% of adolescent women with endometriosis also had IBS.

And because IBS and endometriosis can share similar symptoms, it’s not uncommon for them to be misdiagnosed as one another. Some studies show that up to 75% of women are misdiagnosed with other conditions before receiving an endometriosis diagnosis. Could your IBS symptoms be mistaken for endometriosis? Or perhaps the other way around?

Endometriosis and ibs