Does My Daughter Have Endometriosis?
If your daughter frequently misses school or sports because of her period, experiences pelvic pain that isn't relieved by common medications, or struggles with symptoms like fatigue, bloating, or digestive issues around her menstrual cycle—you might be wondering: Could she have endometriosis?
The answer is: possibly. And if you’re feeling unsure or overwhelmed, you’re not alone. Endometriosis is increasingly recognized as a condition that can begin during adolescence, but it’s often overlooked in young people. At Occupelvic Health and Wellness, we work with families and teens to provide early, holistic support for pelvic health challenges, especially when pain becomes part of daily life.
What Is Endometriosis, and Why Is It Missed in Teens?
Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of it, causing pain, inflammation, and scarring. While it's often seen as a condition for adult women, research shows it can begin shortly after menarche (the first period). In fact, studies reveal 62% of adolescents with chronic pelvic pain unresponsive to medication have endometriosis confirmed by laparoscopy (Khashchenko, 2023).
Research shows that following symptoms are statistically significant for Endometriosis in adolescents (Khashchenko, 2023):
Unresponsive to NSAIDs for painful menstrual cramps
Moderate to Severe painful menstrual cramps
Decreased daily activity and performance
GI pain symptoms (nausea, diarrhea, painful bowel movements)
Painful or burning urination
Blood in the urine
They may also present with:
Persistent or daily pelvic or low back pain
Pain that starts before or continues after menstruation
Urinary urgency
Extreme fatigue or mood changes around the cycle
Spotting between periods
If these sound familiar, your daughter’s pain is real—and it's time to take it seriously.
Psychological Patterns: Pain Is Not Just Physical
Research also shows that psychological factors like anxiety and pain catastrophizing—the tendency to feel helpless or overly focused on pain—are strongly correlated with higher menstrual pain in adolescents with chronic pain (Payne 2016). This means that ongoing distress and emotional overwhelm can intensify the pain cycle, especially when young girls feel dismissed or misunderstood.
At Occupelvic Health and Wellness, we take these findings seriously. We offer a trauma-informed approach that prioritizes nervous system regulation and helps girls learn to manage their body’s pain response gently and safely.
What Should Parents Look For?
Here are red flags that could signal endometriosis in your daughter:
Severe menstrual cramps that interfere with school, sports, or sleep
Pain that doesn’t respond to NSAIDs or birth control (although birth control can be considered a band-aid solution and symptoms can return after stopping)
Chronic pelvic pain (not just during menstruation)
Early onset of moderate to severely painful periods (often at menarche)
Family history of endometriosis, painful periods, or infertility
Mid-cycle spotting or heavy, prolonged bleeding
GI or urinary symptoms during menstruation
If she’s using hot water bottles daily, tracking her period with dread, or seems unusually anxious around her cycle, trust your instincts—her symptoms deserve deeper support.
How We Help at Occupelvic Health and Wellness
While surgery may be necessary in some cases, many teens are placed on long waitlists to see Endometriosis specialists. In the meantime, they need safe, evidence-informed tools to manage symptoms, calm their bodies, and feel empowered again.
Our holistic pelvic floor therapy services for adolescents include:
-Nervous System Regulation
Pain and anxiety often go hand-in-hand. We teach grounding, breathing, and vagus nerve exercises that help shift the body out of fight-or-flight mode.
-Lifestyle and Environment Coaching
We guide families in reducing inflammatory foods and exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in body care and food—supporting hormone balance from the ground up.
-Functional Menstrual Cycle Tracking
We help teens go beyond basic tracking apps—learning how to identify hormonal shifts, manage symptoms by cycle phase, and learn skills to facilitate resiliency and self compassion.
-Gentle Movement and Core Regulation
Through body-safe, trauma-aware movement, we support pelvic mobility, thoracic rotation, and diaphragmatic breathing, which can ease myofascial restrictions and lower pain signals.
-Self Care Routine Support & Stress Reduction
We co-create realistic routines that promote rest, nourishment, and emotional processing—especially in the luteal and menstrual phases, when many symptoms peak. When activities of daily living like toileting are affected-learning the basics of pelvic health can be so beneficial! Having the understanding of anatomy, correct postures, breathing mechanics, and strategies to improve bladder and bowel habits are fundamental and can set your daughter up for creating routines that work with her menstrual cycle-not against it.
Early Support Changes Everything
One of the most important findings from the research is this: the earlier we intervene, the better the outcomes. On average, it takes 5–10 years from symptom onset. When symptoms arise in adolescents, it takes three times longer to diagnose than adult women (Khashchenko, 2023). That’s too long for a young person to live in pain and confusion.
At Occupelvic Health and Wellness, we believe education, validation, and proactive support can make all the difference.
Ready to Learn More?
Whether your daughter is waiting for a diagnosis, navigating new symptoms, or trying to figure out what’s “normal” for her body—we’re here to help.
Explore our Self Care Rituals program for 1:1 telehealth pelvic occupational therapy, or check out our Pelvic Health 101 self-paced workshop, designed specifically for women and teens to get started on their pelvic health journey.
💌 Contact us today to schedule a free consultation or learn more about how we can support your daughter’s pelvic health journey.
In Health,
Karla Ehlers, OTR/L, MOT, TIPHP
Owner, Occupelvic Health and Wellness
References:
Khashchenko, EP et al. Endometriosis in Adolescents: Diagnostics, Clinical and Laparoscopic Features. J Clin Med. 2023 Feb 20;12(4):1678. doi: 10.3390/jcm12041678. PMID: 36836214; PMCID: PMC9962715.
Payne, LA et al. Pain Catastrophizing Predicts Menstrual Pain Ratings in Adolescent Girls with Chronic Pain. Pain Med. 2016 Jan;17(1):16-24. doi: 10.1111/pme.12869. PMID: 26218344; PMCID: PMC4791196.
FREE Resources to get started:
Check out our FREE Pelvic Pain Masterclass to learn more about pelvic pain and nervous system regulation to break out of the pain cycle and decrease systemic inflammation.
Download our FREE Functional Cycle Tracking Guide! This is the foundation of women’s health to support your daughter across the lifespan. This will help her understand her symptoms and identify patterns, leading to better symptom management and informed decisions about treatment. By tracking symptoms like pain, bleeding, and emotional changes, girls can gain a better understanding of how their cycle affects their body and create self care routines that work. If you have a teen daughter, you may be going through perimenopause and tracking your menstrual cycles together can be a great way to improve your communication!
Living with chronic illness like Endometriosis, IC, or pelvic floor dysfunction? Our FREE Guided Health Journal helps you track symptoms, spot patterns, and feel more grounded in your healing. It has a
Provider Directory
Testing/Surgery Log
How to complete a bowel/bladder diary
Bristol Stool Chart to track bowel movements
Appointment & Menstrual Cycle Self Check Ins to address emotional health
And custom affirmations.
It’s more than just planning and getting organized—it’s reclaiming your power and confidence, one page at a time.
