The short explanation
Pain that stops you doing what you normally do is too much, whatever anyone else manages. Cramping in the first day or two that responds to a simple painkiller and a hot pack is ordinary. Pain that keeps you off work or school, that does not respond to painkillers, that has got worse over the years, or that comes with pain during sex or when opening your bowels is worth investigating. Endometriosis and adenomyosis are common and commonly missed, and the average delay to diagnosis is measured in years — partly because women are told this is normal.
What depends on your situation
The parts of this that change from woman to woman. Uncertainty is stated, not hidden.
- Pain that began with your first periods behaves differently from pain that started later, and pain that has changed is more informative than pain that has always been there.
- Treatment usually starts with pain relief and hormonal options before any investigation, and that is reasonable — but 'try this and come back' should have a date on it, not be an ending.
What this answer cannot determine
The boundary of online education. These need a clinician who can see you.
- This cannot tell you what is causing your pain or whether you have a condition. A scan that looks normal does not rule out endometriosis, which is one reason the story matters so much.
Questions for your clinician
Take these with you. You can add any of them to an appointment card.
- This pain stops me doing X — what could be causing it?
- What would you try first, and when should I come back if it has not helped?
- Would a scan or a referral be useful, and why or why not?
- Is this worth investigating for endometriosis?
When to seek help
Clinician-approved guidance for this topic. When in doubt, being seen is never the wrong choice.
- Seek care the same day for sudden severe one-sided pain, pain with fever, pain with fainting, or pain with a positive pregnancy test.
Sources
The evidence this explanation is built on.
No sources recorded yet.
Who wrote and reviewed this
Every AskHer answer names its author. A clinically reviewed answer also names the clinician who signed it off — if no clinician is named below, it has not been clinically reviewed.
- Author
- AskHer Editorial AskHer's editorial team — not an individual clinician Works in English, தமிழ், हिन्दी
- Clinical reviewer
- Nobody yet No clinician has signed this answer off. That is what the “Editorially reviewed” badge means, and why it does not say “Clinically reviewed”. It was written and checked by AskHer’s editorial team, and it is queued for a clinician who works in this area. No sources are recorded against it yet.
- Review status
- Editorially reviewed
- Last reviewed
- Last reviewed 26 September 2026
- Version
- 1
Correction history
Substantive changes are listed, not quietly edited away.
No corrections have been made since this answer was first published.
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