There's no cure for endometriosis and it can be difficult to treat. Treatment aims to ease symptoms so the condition does not interfere with your daily life.

Treatment can be given to:

• relieve pain
• slow the growth of endometriosis tissue
• improve fertility
• stop the condition returning

Deciding which treatment

Your gynaecologist will discuss the treatment options with you, and outline the risks and benefits of each.

When deciding which treatment is right for you, there are several things to consider.

These include:

• your age
• what your main symptoms are, such as pain or difficulty getting pregnant
• whether you want to become pregnant – some treatments may stop you getting pregnant
• how you feel about surgery
• whether you have tried any of the treatments before

Treatment may not be necessary if your symptoms are mild, you have no fertility problems, or you're nearing the menopause, when symptoms may get better without treatment.

Endometriosis sometimes gets better by itself, but it can get worse if it's not treated. One option is to keep an eye on symptoms and decide to have treatment if they get worse.

Support from self-help groups, such as Endometriosis UK, can be very useful if you're learning how to manage the condition.

Pain medication

Anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen or paracetamol, may be tried to see if they help reduce your pain. They can be used together for more severe pain.

These painkillers are available to buy from pharmacies and do not usually cause many side effects.

Tell your doctor if you have been taking painkillers for a few months and you're still in pain.

For more information, read about pain relief for endometriosis on the Endometriosis UK website.

Hormone treatment

The aim of hormone treatment is to limit or stop the production of oestrogen in your body, as oestrogen encourages endometriosis tissue to grow and shed. 

Limiting oestrogen can reduce the amount of tissue in the body.

But hormone treatment has no effect on adhesions ("sticky" areas of tissue that can cause organs to fuse together) and cannot improve fertility.

Find out more about adhesions and other complications of endometriosis

Some of the main hormone-based treatments for endometriosis include:

• the combined oral contraceptive pill
• progestogens, including the intrauterine system (IUS), the contraceptive injection, the implant and progestogen pills

Evidence suggests these hormone treatments are equally effective at treating endometriosis, but they have different side effects.

You can discuss the different options and their side effects.

Most hormone treatments reduce your chance of pregnancy while using them, but not all of them are licensed as contraceptives.

None of the hormone treatments have a permanent effect on your fertility.

The combined oral contraceptive pill

The combined contraceptive pill contains the hormones oestrogen and progestogen. 

They can help relieve milder symptoms, and can be used over long periods of time.

They stop eggs being released (ovulation) and make periods lighter and less painful.

These contraceptives can have side effects, but you can try different brands until you find one that suits you.

Your doctor may recommend taking 3 packs of the pill in a row without a break to minimise the bleeding and improve any symptoms related to the bleeding.

Progestogens

Progestogens are synthetic hormones that behave like the natural hormone progesterone.

They work by preventing the lining of your womb and any endometriosis tissue growing quickly.

But they can have side effects, such as:

• bloating
• mood changes
• irregular bleeding
• weight gain

Progestogens used to treat endometriosis include:

• the Mirena intrauterine system, a small device that's placed in the womb and releases progestogen
• the contraceptive injection
• the contraceptive implant
• the progestogen-only-pill (POP)
• progestogen tablets that are not contraceptives, such as norethisterone

Surgery

Surgery can be used to remove or destroy areas of endometriosis tissue, which can help improve symptoms and fertility.

The kind of surgery you have will depend on where the tissue is.

The main options are:

• laparoscopy – the most commonly used technique
• hysterectomy

Any surgical procedure carries risks. It's important to discuss these with your surgeon before undergoing treatment.

Laparoscopy

During laparoscopy, also known as keyhole surgery, small cuts (incisions) are made in your tummy so the endometriosis tissue can be destroyed or cut out.

Large incisions are avoided because the surgeon uses an instrument called a laparoscope.

This is a small tube with a light source and a camera, which sends images of the inside of your tummy or pelvis to a television monitor.

During laparoscopy, fine instruments are used to apply heat, a laser, an electric current, or a beam of special gas to the patches of tissue to destroy or remove them.

Ovarian cysts, or endometriomas, which are formed as a result of endometriosis, can also be removed using this technique.

The procedure is carried out under general anaesthetic, so you'll be asleep and will not feel any pain as it's carried out.

Although this kind of surgery can relieve your symptoms and sometimes help improve fertility, problems can recur, especially if some endometriosis tissue is left behind.

You may need to take hormone treatment before and after surgery to help avoid this.

Hysterectomy

If keyhole surgery and other treatments have not worked and you have decided not to have any more children, removal of the womb (a hysterectomy) can be an option.

A hysterectomy is a major operation that will have a significant impact on your body.

Deciding to have a hysterectomy is a big decision you should discuss with your GP or gynaecologist.

Hysterectomies cannot be reversed and, though unlikely, endometriosis symptoms could return after the operation.

If the ovaries are left in place, the endometriosis is more likely to return.

If your ovaries are removed during a hysterectomy, the possibility of needing HRT afterwards should be discussed with you. 

But it's not clear what course of HRT is best for women who have endometriosis.

For example, oestrogen-only HRT may cause your symptoms to return if any endometriosis patches remain after the operation.

This risk is reduced by the use of a combined course of HRT (oestrogen and progesterone), but can increase your risk of developing breast cancer.

But the risk of breast cancer is not significantly increased until you have reached the normal age for the menopause. Talk to your doctor about the best treatment for you.

Complications of surgery

All types of surgery carry a risk of complications.

If surgery is recommended for you, speak to your surgeon about the possible risks before agreeing to treatment.

Read about the complications of endometriosis for more information about the risks of surgery.

Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues

GnRH analogues are synthetic hormones that bring on a temporary menopause by reducing the production of oestrogen.

They're sometimes given before surgery to help reduce the amount of endometrial tissue. You would normally take them for 3 months before your surgery.

GnRH analogues are not licensed as a form of contraception, so you should still use contraception while using them.

Complementary therapies

There's no evidence that traditional Chinese medicine or other Chinese herbal medicines or supplements can help treat endometriosis.

Women with endometriosis can sometimes experience a number of complications.

Fertility problems

Endometriosis can cause fertility problems. This is not fully understood, but is thought to be because of damage to the fallopian tubes or ovaries.

But not all women with endometriosis will have problems and will eventually be able to get pregnant without treatment.

Medication will not improve fertility. Surgery to remove visible patches of endometriosis tissue can sometimes help, but there's no guarantee this will help you get pregnant.

If you're having difficulty getting pregnant, infertility treatments, such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF), may be an option.

But women with moderate to severe endometriosis tend to have a lower chance of getting pregnant with IVF than usual.

Find out more about infertility treatments

Adhesions and ovarian cysts

Some women will develop:

• adhesions – "sticky" areas of endometriosis tissue that can join organs together
• ovarian cysts – fluid-filled cysts in the ovaries that can sometimes become very large and painful

These can both occur if the endometriosis tissue is in or near the ovaries.

They can be treated with surgery, but may come back in the future if the endometriosis returns.

Find out how ovarian cysts are treated

Surgery complications

Like all types of surgery, surgery for endometriosis carries a risk of complications.

The more common complications are not usually serious, and can include:

• a wound infection
• minor bleeding
• bruising around the wound

Less common, but more serious, risks include:

• damage to an organ, such as a hole accidentally being made in the womb, bladder or bowel
• severe bleeding inside the tummy
• a blood clot in the leg (deep vein thrombosis) or lungs (pulmonary embolism)

Before having surgery, talk to your surgeon about the benefits and possible risks involved.

Bladder and bowel problems

Endometriosis affecting the bladder or bowel can be difficult to treat and may require major surgery.

You may be referred to a specialist endometriosis service if your bladder or bowel is affected.

Surgery for endometriosis in the bladder may involve cutting away part of the bladder.

A tube called a urinary catheter may be placed in your bladder to help you pee in the days after surgery.

In a few cases, you may need to pee into a bag attached to a small hole made in your tummy. This is called a urostomy and it's usually temporary.

Treatment for endometriosis in the bowel may involve removing a section of bowel.

Some women need to have a temporary colostomy while their bowel heals. This is where the bowel is diverted through a hole in the tummy and waste products are collected in a bag.

Endometriosis UK has more information about endometriosis and the bladder and endometriosis and the bowel.