History Endometriosis was first discovered microscopically by Karl von Rokitansky in 1860, although the earliest antecedents may have stemmed from concepts published almost 4,000 years ago. The Hippocratic Corpus outlines symptoms similar to endometriosis, including uterine ulcers, adhesions, and infertility. Historically, women with these symptoms were treated with leeches, straitjackets, bloodletting, chemical douches, genital mutilation, pregnancy (as a form of treatment), hanging upside down, surgical intervention, and even killing due to suspicion of demonic possession. Hippocratic doctors recognized and treated chronic pelvic pain as a true organic disorder 2,500 years ago, but during the Middle Ages, there was a shift into believing that women with pelvic pain were mad, immoral, imagining the pain, or simply misbehaving. The symptoms of inexplicable chronic pelvic pain were often attributed to imagined madness, female weakness, promiscuity, or hysteria. The historical diagnosis of hysteria, which was thought to be a psychological disease, may have indeed been endometriosis. The idea that chronic pelvic pain was related to mental illness influenced modern attitudes regarding individuals with endometriosis, leading to delays in correct diagnosis and indifference to the patients' true pain throughout the 20th and into the 21st century.
hIStORY endoMetriosis was firsT DiscoveREd MicroscOPICally by KarL von roKitanskY In 1860, AlthOugh the eArLiest AnteCedEnts MaY Have stemMed frOM coNceptS PublishEd ALMosT 4,000 yEaRS aGo. THe hIpPocrAtic cORpUs OUtlines symptoMs similar tO eNDometrioSis, inCLudiNg uterine uLcerS, adheSiOns, and InFertilItY. hiStoriCally, woMeN with thesE SympTOms wEre tReatEd wIth leecheS, StRaitJaCKEts, BlOodletting, chemiCal douChes, genitAl muTilatIOn, PregnanCy (as a forM of treatmenT), hanGINg UPSiDe Down, sUrgiCal INTErVENtiOn, aND eVen killInG Due To suspiCIoN of DeMonic PossessIon. HIppoCraTIC doctOrS RecOgnized and treaTed chronic pelvic pAin As a trUE orgAnic disorDer 2,500 YeArs aGO, but DUrIng The middLE ages, theRe was a sHIft iNto beliEvinG thAT women wiTh pELvic Pain werE MAd, IMmoral, IMaGiniNG thE pain, or simPly mIsbeHavinG. thE symPtOMs Of iNexplicABLe chrOnic peLViC pain werE oFTeN attrIbUteD tO imagiNed mAdNEss, femaLE WEaknesS, promIscuIty, OR hyStErIa. The HisToRical diagNosIS oF hySTerIa, whiCh wAS thOught to Be a psyCholoGIcAl DiSeAse, May have indeed bEEn enDometriosIs. the idEA thaT cHrOnic pElvic paiN was rELated to meNtaL iLLnEss iNfluenCed ModeRn aTtiTuDes RegARDiNG inDiviDuaLs WitH endOmetrIoSIS, LEAding tO deLaYS In cORrECt DiAgnosis aNd indiffErence to The PAtiEnts' TRuE paiN tHrOugHout the 20th aNd into thE 21St century.