Endometriosis: an invisible illness with a major impact
A patient gets an ultrasound checkup for her uterus in this file photo. According to government data, 111,214 women were diagnosed with endometriosis in 2017. /Korea Times fileBy Bahk Eun-jiEndometriosis is a common gynecological condition that affects about 60 percent of women in their 20s to 40s, but if the pain is unusually serious, doctors advise them to be checked for lesions in their uterus, ovaries or fallopian tubes. For those with endometriosis, coping with period cramps often requires more than just taking a pain reliever such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.Kim Hye-won, 31, living in Songpa-gu, Seoul, recently felt her period pain becoming more severe. When Kim's younger sister, who had surgery to remove fibroids in her uterus a couple of years ago, said she had similar symptoms, Kim immediately visited her gynecologist and she was diagnosed with endometriosis. “I became accustomed to period cramps to a degree over the years, but this time, the pain was sharp and suddenly became unbearable. I initially thought it was probably because I was under a lot of pressure at wo
Mar 15, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji