A woman from Joliet, Illinois, experienced severe pelvic pain before and during her period, even when she didn't have her period. She sought help from Dr. Nahla Merhi at Silver Cross Hospital, a gynecologist and urogynecologist on the medical staff at the hospital, who discovered advanced endometriosis. The condition, where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus causing inflammation, scarring and significant pain, most commonly affects the ovaries and fallopian tubes, but can also affect the bowel, bladder, or other organs. The most common symptom is severe abdominal pain, which can persist after the period ends, and urinary discomfort. The only way to diagnose endometriaosis is through laparoscopy, which involves surgery to directly find and treat the lesions. Treatment can be medical, surgical, or combination of both.