What should you know about Crohn's disease and endometriosis?

Crohn's disease involves inflammation in the digestive tract. Endometriosis involves tissue resembling the womb lining growing outside the womb, commonly around pelvic organs. Pain from either condition can be felt in the lower abdomen or pelvis, and both may affect bowel movements.

Timing provides useful information. Pain linked to menstrual periods, pain during sex, or difficulty becoming pregnant can support an endometriosis assessment, while persistent diarrhoea, blood in stool, or symptoms unrelated to the cycle may point toward bowel inflammation or another digestive cause. One condition does not rule out the other.

Book a GP Consultation if pain keeps returning, affects daily life, or comes with diarrhoea, bleeding, vomiting, or unexplained tiredness. Keep a diary of menstrual dates, pain location, bowel movements, bleeding, food triggers, and medicines.

A Blood Test can help check for inflammation or anaemia, but a normal result does not explain every cause of pelvic pain. Your clinician may coordinate digestive and gynaecological assessment based on the pattern of symptoms.

Get urgent help for sudden severe abdominal or pelvic pain, fainting, heavy vaginal or bowel bleeding, repeated vomiting, fever with worsening tenderness, or signs of dehydration such as very little urine and marked dizziness.

Ask whether your symptom pattern follows the menstrual cycle, which tests are appropriate, whether both conditions could be present, and which pain medicines are suitable for your bowel and reproductive health.