Plain English summary
Endometriosis, endometriosis, pelvic pain, pain, constipation, endometriosis-related, chronic gynecological disease
ENDOMETRIOSIS, ENDOMETRIOSIS
Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disease affecting 5–10% of women worldwide. It can lead to disabling pelvic pain and poor quality of life. The traditional treatments for painful endometriosis consist of medical and/or surgical treatment. However, these treatments are, in many cases, insufficient in relieving the pain and improving the quality of life of these women. This study aimed to examine whether a psychological treatment can improve pain and quality of life in women suffering from painful endometriosis. In addition, the study examines whether The study demonstrated that psychological intervention does not lead to pain reduction in women with endometriosis. However, it significantly improved the quality of life of these women despite an ongoing experience of severe chronic pelvic pain. It also improved the endometriosis-related symptoms “constipation” and “pain during defecation”. Therefore, the study indicates that psychological intervention may be an appropriate strategy to manage symptoms and improve the quality of life in women with endometriosis, but a definitive decision on the preferred psychological modality (Mindfulness- and acceptance-based psychological intervention as compared to Non-specific psychological intervention) cannot be made. More research is needed before we can conclude whether one specific psychological intervention is to be preferred to best manage symptoms and improve the quality of life in women suffering from painful endometriosis.