“It’s normal. Everyone goes through it.”
A sentence meant to comfort often ends up silencing.
She struggles to attend her daily classes. Getting up from bed during menses becomes herculean tasks for her. She stops reaching out to people for help in the fear of judgement. And one day she learns to live with the pain.
This is how endometriosis remains hidden in everyday life.
Affecting nearly 1 in 10 women of reproductive age, endometriosis is a disease in which uterine-like tissues grow out of place and become inflamed during a woman’s menstrual cycle even though the tissues are outside the uterus. The condition can be difficult to diagnose because of its “vague” symptoms, which include lower abdominal pain, abnormal periods and fatigue. In fact, surgery is necessary for a definitive diagnosis. Yet, despite its frequency, diagnosis is often delayed for years. The reasons extend beyond medicine into the social fabric around us.
Some of the learnings I received from my Medical officer days and later as a student of Public health, women have learnt to live with the pain. I am not sure if I can say ‘learnt’ or its ‘forced to’. They describe symptoms that interfere with their daily functioning yet speak of them as something expected rather than concerning. This acceptance is shaped over time, culture and conditioning since childhood.
It is a familiar picture. Isn’t it? Our mothers in our homes continuing their daily responsibilities despite discomfort, rarely pausing, rarely voicing what they feel. Over time, this reinforces an unspoken lesson, that pain is to be endured, not expressed, and certainly not prioritized.
Menstrual pain occupies an unusual place in conversation. It is recognized yet often trivialized. Cultural narratives encourage endurance rather than inquiry. As a result, severe symptoms are normalized, delaying care-seeking. By the time medical advice is sought, the condition may have progressed, with significant impacts on quality of life, mental well-being, and productivity.
This normalization can also influence healthcare interactions. Pain may be downplayed, attributed to individual tolerance, or managed without fully exploring underlying causes. The boundary between what is “usual” and what is “abnormal” becomes unclear.
Mishra et al. (2023) highlights how limited awareness and prevailing perceptions around gynaecological health shape health-seeking behaviour. When symptoms are normalized and knowledge gaps persist, delays in diagnosis are almost inevitable. ¹
From a public health standpoint, endometriosis goes beyond being a clinical condition. It reflects broader patterns in how women’s pain is perceived and responded to. Its impact is not only physical but also emotional and social, influencing education, work, and relationships. Many a times we brush off issues as ‘rural’ and ‘not relevant to urban population’. But this affects all women from all walks of life equally. Maybe we need to start looking around us and start at home.
Changing how ‘normal’ period pains are seen, doesn’t always need big solutions. Sometimes, it starts with small things- really listening, asking if the pain is affecting daily life, and noticing when something doesn’t feel right. Most importantly, it’s about taking concerns seriously instead of brushing them off.
Endometriosis does not always present in obvious ways. More often, it exists quietly, blending into what is perceived as “just another period.” People don’t even have any unique symptoms; other than the usual ones we get during menses like bloating! But its always better to be safe than sorry.
The month of March is observed as Endometriosis Awareness Month, dedicated to highlighting a chronic disease affecting roughly 200 million women and individuals globally, often causing severe pain, infertility, and significant diagnostic delays.
For instance, in the UK, the average time it takes to diagnose endo is 7.5 years. Still today in 2026, there is no cure and we don’t know the cause of it. The current gold standard treatment is laparoscopic surgery to excise the excess tissue and remove adhesions. Sadly, endometriosis is heavily understudied so all we can do is try to catch it early.
GIRLS!! Having cramps in every cycle is not normal!! Get it checked!!
Perhaps improving care begins with something simple, acknowledging what we have long been conditioned to overlook.
References:
- Mishra RG, et al. Awareness and perceptions regarding gynaecological health conditions. Journal of Advanced Medical and Professional Research. 2023;5(3):753–755. Available from: https://tinyurl.com/4dsyzxu7
