What are the symptoms of Endometriosis? Janel Parrish opens up about her diagnosis and surgery to remove cysts

Actress and singer Janel Parrish, best known for her role in Pretty Little Liars, is breaking her silence on a profoundly personal health struggle. On June 25, 2024, on the Instagram story, Parrish shared a picture of her hand adorned with a medical wristband, clasped with her partner's hand, in a hospital room. In a story, she revealed that she was diagnosed with Endometriosis after months of bearing pain.

"After months of excruciating pain and don't know why, I was diagnosed with Endometriosis," Parrish revealed.

Janel Parrish shared her Endometriosis diagnosis (Image via Instagram/@janelparrish)

According to the Cleveland Clinic, Endometriosis is a similar-looking tissue, like a lining, which grows outside the woman's uterus, causing unbearable pain. The most common symptom is persistent pelvic pain, which is often severe and typically intensifies during menstruation.

Janel Meilani Parrish Long, 35, is an American actress, singer-songwriter, and pianist. She rose to prominence in 2019 as Mona Vanderwaal in Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists. She is also known for her role as Maleah in Magnum P.I. from 2020 to 2022.

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Janel Parrish opened up about her endometriosis diagnosis: What are its symptoms?

According to the Mayo Clinic, endometriosis tissue can often affect the ovaries within the uterus, fallopian tubes, and the tissue lining the pelvis. When endometriosis involves the ovaries, its growth can form cysts called endometriomas. Many women cannot tell the difference between menstrual period pain and pain caused by endometriosis because, in both cases, women, regardless of age, can have cramps.

The five most common symptoms of endometriosis include:

Painful bowel movement or urination: the individual is expected to experience a disturbed bowel movement and urination with pain before or during a menstrual cycle.

Heavy menstrual cycle: in some cases, women can have excessive bleeding during their menstrual period. Additionally, they can have bleeding or spotting in between the periods.

Painful intercourse: some women can feel mild to severe pain after having intercourse with their partner. It is one of the most common symptoms of Endometriosis in women with this health condition.

Painful periods: when one may have a health scare of Endometriosis, they can experience a painful menstrual cycle, which can begin before the expected cycle date and can last days. In this case, women can have abdominal and back pain, too.

Infertility: women diagnosed with Endometriosis may encounter infertility issues. In some cases, the diagnosis of Endometriosis is discovered during fertility evaluations.

Other symptoms include fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, or nausea, which can be mild to severe. All of the symptoms mentioned are referenced from the Mayo Clinic. These are provided for informational purposes only; please consult your doctor for severe concerns.

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Janel Parrish shares her endometriosis surgery experience

Janel Parrish (Image via Getty Images)

On Tuesday, in a heartfelt announcement on her Instagram story, Janel Parrish shared her journey from diagnosis to undergoing surgery to remove cysts caused by the condition.

The actress began the post by suggesting she likes to keep her life "private." However, her diagnosis compelled her to speak out, aiming to reassure other women facing similar challenges that they are not alone:

"I usually keep my private life private... but I wanted to share this if it can help other women suffering to know they're not alone," the actress began.

After revealing her diagnosis, Janel Parrish revealed that she underwent surgery to remove the cyst and tissue that caused the disease:

"And underwent surgery to remove cysts and scar tissue as a result of the disease," Parrish said.

Janel Parrish further encourages the women experiencing the same, suggesting that she gain courage from another woman speaking about endometriosis, so Parrish wants to do the same for her "Endo sisters":

"To my Endo sisters... Seeing other women posting about their experiences made ME feel stronger. I hope this helps to keep the conversation about Endo open and flowing so we can raise awareness and lift each other up. We ARE strong, and we got this. I got you. Love, J," Parrish concluded.

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Parrish has chosen not to disclose the timeline or any further details of her post-surgery health journey.