Effectiveness of Pharmacological Pain Management Strategies for Severe Symptoms in Endometriosis in Sport
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/QS.2026.52.69409Keywords
Endometriosis, Menstrual Pain, Pain Manegment, Pharmacotherapy, SportAbstract
Background. Endometriosis is a chronic, estrogen-dependent inflammatory disease characterized by the presence of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus, leading to severe pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and reduced quality of life. Despite multiple therapeutic options, effective pain control remains challenging, particularly in patients with severe or recurrent disease.
Aim. This study aimed to synthesize current evidence on hormonal and non-hormonal pain-management strategies for severe symptoms in endometriosis.
Material and methods. A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed, ScienceDirect, ResearchGate, and Google Scholar. Randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and case-control studies published between 2022 and 2025 were included. Studies evaluating pain outcomes using validated pain assessment tools were eligible. Data were extracted regarding intervention type, patient characteristics, follow-up duration, pain outcomes, and risk of bias.
Results. Hormonal therapies, including progestogen-based treatments, combined estrogen–progestogen regimens, and gonadotropin-suppressing agents, demonstrated effectiveness in reducing dysmenorrhea and inflammation however outcome varies by formulation, dose, and patient hormonal responsiveness.Non-hormonal approaches, such as anti-inflammatory analgesics, neuromodulatory agents, physical therapies, and multidisciplinary care, provided additional symptom relief, although responses varied considerably among patients. Treatment effectiveness was influenced by reproductive plans, tolerability, contraindications, and long-term safety.
Conclusions. Hormonal therapies remain the most effective first-line option for pain reduction in patients with moderate-to-severe endometriosis who are not seeking pregnancy. Individualized, multimodal treatment strategies are essential to address symptom variability and optimize long-term outcomes.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Natalia Kaczmarczyk, Zofia Gołąbek, Jana Kozłowska, Simone Szymczyk, Hanna Kaczuba, Kacper Król, Klaudia Kozyra, Natalia Pluta, Weronika Kopyt
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