Endometriosis occurs, when endometrium (the tissue which normally lines the uterus) is found outside the uterus in other places or attached to other organs. This tissue responds to hormones in the same way as normal endometrium, and so it bleeds each month at period time. Because this bleeding is occurring in an abnormal location, (with nowhere to go) it can cause scarring and tissue damage. If it occurs on the ovaries, it can cause cysts of endometriosis, or “chocolate cysts”, so called because they contain old blood. All of these events can lead to pain and/or infertility which may require treatment. The most common place for endometriosis to occur is within the pelvis (on the ovaries, bladder, bowel or behind the uterus), but it can also be found in other areas of the body, causing pain during menstruation. Because endometriosis is hormonally dependent, it often tends to resolve, or go away spontaneously, after the menopause occurs.

Dystonia is estimated to be as common as multiple sclerosis, yet few people have heard of it and even fewer have any idea what it is. Many GPs are unfamiliar with dystonia and may experience some difficulty in diagnosing the condition. Until recently, little research into dystonia had been carried out and there was a limited range of treatment options available. However, the outlook for dystonia sufferers is improving all the time and awareness of the condition is growng, partly as a result of the work of The Dystonia Society (a registered charity).