PCOS and Endometriosis – How to differentiate?

Yes, it is possible to get confused between endometriosis and PCOS as both conditions share certain symptoms. This includes heavy bleeding and difficulty in getting pregnant. At times, these symptoms might be subtle and likely to be missed. Whereas on the other hand, it is also possible that you don’t have any of these symptoms but have these conditions. However, most of the other symptoms are different from each other. For instance, constipation and frequent urination are common with endometriosis and symptoms like obesity and severe acne tend to occur with PCOS.

When the endometrial tissue begins to grow outside the uterus such as the ovary, it is called endometriosis. Some of it common and most prominent symptoms are having intense pain in the pelvic region, inflammation, difficulty in getting pregnant, and heavy or painful periods.

Although rare, it is possible to have both PCOS and endometriosis. In no way does one condition affect the other. However, you could have symptoms that overlap each other. In most women who have both conditions, endometriosis is often mild.