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Endometriosis is a disorder that occurs when tissue that should be normally found inside the womb is also found in sites outside of the womb. However, this does not encompass all of the symptoms and complex side effects of this disease. Typical symptoms include chronic pelvic pain, menstrual pain, pain with intercourse, pain when urinating, difficulty defecating, fatigue, and infertility. There are four stages of endometriosis that are categorized by increasing severity of lesions, but there is no clear association of symptom severity with category ranking. The causes of endometriosis are unknown and 50% of the time people with endometriosis have reoccurring symptoms even after treatment. 

Endometriosis is a painful disease, and while there is no cure, there are some ways to manage the pain. Many women undergo surgery to remove the lesions that have grown. However, often times the surgery is unsuccessful or there is a reoccurrence of lesions. A few non-invasive treatment options may help reduce pain and lesion growth. Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH agonist) is one option amongst others. The GnRH agonist causes the body to stop producing its natural sex hormones to prevent lesion growth and pain, however many participants will still experience a reoccurrence of symptoms. Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (LNG-IUD) and vaginal birth control ring/patch are also good options. The LNG-IUD works by releasing hormones to thin the lining of the uterus to prevent pain and lesions which came with minor side effects like acne and weight gain. Similarly, the birth control ring/patch releases hormones to prevent pain and lesion growth with a high success rate and minor side effects. Aromatase inhibitors are used to decrease estrogen levels and when taken with progesterone pain was reduced but after drug withdrawal symptoms reoccurred. Lastly, similar to the GnRH agonist, Danazol decreases sex hormone production through the pituitary gland to reduce pain. While some of these treatments have been mostly effective, each individual responds to treatments differently. A part of our study is figuring out a way to treat endometriosis pain with little-to-no side effects or reoccurrence of symptoms.