Endometriosis Care in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (endometrium) grows outside the uterus. These growths are most often found around the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and behind the uterus, but they can also appear on the bladder, bowel, and other pelvic organs.

Endometriosis affects about 1 in 10 women and people assigned female at birth during their reproductive years. In Grand Rapids and across West Michigan, many people live with undiagnosed endometriosis for years, often thinking their pain is “just bad periods.”

Endometriosis can cause:

  • Significant pelvic pain
  • Heavy or painful periods
  • Pain with sex or bowel movements
  • Fertility problems

If you live in the Grand Rapids area and suspect you may have endometriosis, it’s important to talk with a healthcare provider. Local specialists at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, and Mercy Health regularly diagnose and manage endometriosis.

Endometriosis Affects Everyone Differently

The severity of endometriosis symptoms is usually related to where the tissue is growing, not how much tissue is present. Someone with small areas of endometriosis in a sensitive spot can have more pain than someone with more widespread disease in less sensitive areas.

Common symptoms include:

  • Painful periods (often worsening over time)
  • Pelvic, abdominal, or lower back pain
  • Pain during or after sex
  • Pain during ovulation, sometimes radiating into the thighs or legs
  • Pain with urination or bowel movements, especially during your period
  • Bloating around the time of your period (“endo belly”)
  • Fatigue and low energy
  • Mood changes related to chronic pain
  • Vaginal discomfort
  • Difficulty getting pregnant (reduced fertility)

Slow and Steady Progression of Symptoms

In many women, endometriosis symptoms:

  • Start as mild period cramps in the teen years or early 20s
  • Gradually become more frequent or more intense
  • Begin to interfere with work, school, exercise, or social activities

Because Grand Rapids has cold, long winters, people with chronic pelvic pain may notice their pain feels worse when they’re less active or more tense from the cold. If your period pain or pelvic pain is stopping you from doing your usual activities, it’s time to seek medical advice.

Types of Pain Caused by Endometriosis

Endometriosis can cause several different types of pain, including:

  • Period pain (dysmenorrhea): severe cramps that may not improve with over-the-counter pain medicine
  • Chronic pelvic pain: pain most days of the month, not just during your period
  • Deep pain with intercourse (dyspareunia): especially with deep penetration
  • Bowel pain: pain with bowel movements, constipation, diarrhea, or pain that feels like “glass” during a bowel movement
  • Bladder pain: burning or pressure when you urinate, and needing to go more often during your period

Pain that regularly stops you from working, going to school, caring for your family, or enjoying life is not normal and deserves evaluation.

Note: The original text mentioned asthma. Asthma is not a typical symptom of endometriosis. However, some people with endometriosis may also have other inflammatory or immune-related conditions, including asthma.

What Causes Endometriosis?

The exact cause of endometriosis is still not fully understood, but several theories and risk factors exist.

Backwards Menstruation (Retrograde Menstruation)

During a period, menstrual blood usually flows out through the vagina. In many women, some of that blood also flows backward through the fallopian tubes into the pelvis. This is called retrograde menstruation.

In about 90% of women, the body absorbs or breaks down these cells. In some women, however:

  • Endometrial-like cells stick to tissues outside the uterus
  • These cells respond to hormones just like the uterine lining
  • They thicken, break down, and bleed each cycle
  • The blood has nowhere to go, causing inflammation, scarring, and pain

Immune System Factors

A healthy immune system may help clear endometrial cells that land outside the uterus. If the immune system does not recognize or remove these cells effectively, they may continue to grow and form endometriosis lesions.

Family History and Genetics

Endometriosis tends to run in families. If you have a close relative (mother, sister, aunt) with endometriosis:

  • Your risk is 7 to 10 times higher than average

If you live in the Grand Rapids area and have a family history of endometriosis plus symptoms, it’s important to mention this to your doctor.

Can Endometriosis Be Prevented?

Endometriosis cannot currently be prevented. However, some factors may be associated with a lower risk, including:

  • Having regular, less frequent periods (for example, with certain hormonal contraceptives)
  • Breastfeeding (which can reduce the number of periods for a time)
  • Use of progestin-only hormone therapy (such as some pills, injections, or IUDs)

Some studies suggest that the risk of endometriosis may decrease with each pregnancy, possibly due to higher progesterone levels and a break from monthly cycles. This is not a treatment strategy, but it helps explain why symptoms sometimes improve during pregnancy.

Getting an Endometriosis Diagnosis in Grand Rapids

Why Diagnosis Takes Time

On average, it can take around 7 years from the time symptoms start to get a confirmed diagnosis of endometriosis. Reasons include:

  • Period pain is often dismissed as “normal”
  • Symptoms can overlap with other conditions (IBS, bladder issues, pelvic floor dysfunction)
  • Imaging tests can miss some endometriosis lesions

In Grand Rapids, you can start by seeing:

  • Your primary care provider or OB/GYN
  • A gynecologist with experience in chronic pelvic pain or endometriosis

Local health systems such as Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, and Mercy Health have gynecologists and pelvic pain specialists who can help evaluate symptoms.

Tests and Procedures

Common steps toward diagnosis include:

  • Medical history and symptom review
  • Pelvic exam
  • Ultrasound: can help detect ovarian cysts (endometriomas) and some structural changes
  • MRI: sometimes used to look for deep infiltrating endometriosis or involvement of the bowel or bladder

Laparoscopy: The Only Way to Confirm Endometriosis

A laparoscopy is a minimally invasive “keyhole” surgery done through small cuts in the abdomen. It is the only way to definitively confirm the presence of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus.

During laparoscopy, a surgeon can:

  • Look directly at the pelvic organs
  • Take biopsies (small tissue samples)
  • Remove or destroy endometriosis lesions

In more severe cases, an open surgery called laparotomy may be needed, though this is less common.

Managing Endometriosis in Grand Rapids

After diagnosis, your gynecologist will discuss treatment options based on:

  • Your symptoms and pain level
  • Your age and overall health
  • Whether you want to become pregnant now or in the future
  • How endometriosis is affecting your daily life

Medicines for Pain Relief

Some people can manage mild to moderate symptoms with:

  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): such as ibuprofen or naproxen
  • Heat packs, rest, and gentle movement

Always follow dosing instructions and talk to your doctor, especially if you have kidney, heart, or stomach issues.

Hormone Therapy

Hormone therapy aims to:

  • Reduce or stop ovulation
  • Thin the lining of the uterus
  • Suppress the growth and bleeding of endometrial-like tissue

Common options include:

  • Combined oral contraceptive pill (estrogen + progestin)
  • Progestogens (progestin-only options):
    • Progestin-only pills
    • Injections
    • Implants
  • Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists or antagonists:
    • Strong medications that temporarily lower estrogen levels
    • Can reduce pain and lesion size, but may have more side effects

Ask your Grand Rapids healthcare provider to explain:

  • How each therapy works
  • Possible side effects (for example, hot flashes, mood changes, bone density loss with long-term GnRH use)
  • How each option fits with your fertility goals

Intrauterine Device (IUD)

A hormonal IUD (such as a levonorgestrel IUD) placed in the uterus can:

  • Reduce period flow
  • Decrease cramping
  • Help manage endometriosis-related pain for some women

Some studies suggest that using an IUD or hormonal therapy after surgery may delay the return of symptoms, but more research is needed.

Surgical Treatment Options

Surgery can improve pain and quality of life for many people with endometriosis, especially when lesions are extensive or involve the bowel or bladder.

Laparoscopy

Laparoscopic surgery is commonly used to:

  • Remove or destroy endometriosis lesions
  • Remove ovarian cysts (endometriomas)
  • Break up scar tissue and adhesions

Benefits include:

  • Smaller incisions
  • Shorter hospital stay
  • Faster recovery than open surgery

Laparotomy and Other Surgeries

In more severe cases, or when endometriosis deeply involves organs like the bowel:

  • Laparotomy (open surgery) may be needed
  • Bowel surgery may be required if endometriosis has grown into the bowel wall

In very severe, treatment-resistant cases, and typically only when childbearing is complete, a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) may be considered. Even then, endometriosis can sometimes persist if lesions remain elsewhere in the pelvis.

Before surgery, make sure you understand:

  • The potential benefits
  • The risks and possible complications
  • How surgery may affect fertility and recovery time

Combined Treatment

For many patients, the best results come from a combination of:

  • Surgery to remove as much endometriosis as safely possible
  • Hormone therapy afterward to help delay recurrence of symptoms

Your Grand Rapids gynecologist or pelvic pain specialist can help tailor a plan to your needs.

Other Therapies and Support

Many women in Grand Rapids use complementary and non-drug therapies to help manage symptoms like pain, inflammation, and stress. Options may include:

  • Pelvic floor physical therapy:
    • Helps relax overactive pelvic muscles
    • Improves pelvic alignment and function
  • Psychology and counseling (including cognitive behavioral therapy):
    • Helps manage chronic pain, anxiety, and mood changes
    • Provides coping strategies for living with a long-term condition
  • Dietary changes:
    • Some people find symptom relief with anti-inflammatory eating patterns, reducing highly processed foods, or tracking trigger foods
  • Gentle exercise:
    • Walking indoors during icy Grand Rapids winters, yoga, or swimming can help reduce pain and stiffness

While these approaches are popular, there is not yet enough high-quality research to prove their effectiveness for endometriosis. They are best used alongside, not instead of, medical care.

Living With Endometriosis in Grand Rapids

Chronic pain and fertility concerns can be emotionally and physically draining. Local support and resources can make a difference.

Local Resources

  • Kent County Health Department – Information on women’s health, reproductive health services, and referrals
  • Grand Rapids Public Health and community clinics – Low-cost or sliding-scale care for those without insurance
  • Major health systems offering gynecology and pelvic pain services:
    • Spectrum Health
    • Trinity Health Grand Rapids
    • Metro Health
    • Mercy Health

You can also look for regional or national endometriosis support groups online for education and community.

When to See a Doctor in Grand Rapids

Contact a healthcare provider if you:

  • Have period pain that keeps you from school, work, or normal activities
  • Have pain during or after sex
  • Have pelvic, back, or abdominal pain that is getting worse over time
  • Have pain with urination or bowel movements, especially during your period
  • Have been trying to get pregnant for a year (or six months if over age 35) without success
  • Have a family history of endometriosis plus symptoms

Start with:

  • Your GP / primary care provider
  • An OB/GYN or gynecologist
  • A fertility specialist if you are trying to conceive

If needed, ask for a referral to a gynecologist who specializes in endometriosis or chronic pelvic pain within one of the Grand Rapids health systems.

Key Points About Endometriosis

  • Endometriosis is common and can sometimes cause severe pain and reduced fertility.
  • The location of endometriosis often matters more than how much tissue is present.
  • Symptoms often progress slowly and may be dismissed as “normal period pain.”
  • Endometriosis can cause multiple types of pain, including painful periods, pelvic pain, pain with sex, and pain with bowel or bladder movements.
  • Diagnosis can take years; laparoscopy is the only way to confirm endometriosis.
  • Treatment options in Grand Rapids include medications, hormone therapy, surgery, and supportive therapies like pelvic floor physical therapy and counseling.
  • While natural and complementary therapies are popular, more research is needed to prove their effectiveness.

If you live in the Grand Rapids, MI area and suspect you have endometriosis, reach out to a local healthcare provider to start the evaluation process. Early diagnosis and a personalized treatment plan can significantly improve your quality of life.