Women’s Health Questions Answered: AMA 1 Lightening Round

Endometriosis pain can rewire the brain and nervous system, yet women are still told to tolerate severe pelvic pain, traumatic IUD insertions, and years of medical dismissal; explore the research and resources in the show notes at

http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen. In this AMA, Dr. Jolene Brighten explains central sensitization, vagus nerve dysfunction, cycle-related inflammation, copper IUD pain, omega-3s, food sensitivities, and what it can take to recover after chronic pain.

🧠 In this episode, you’ll learn:

How unmanaged endometriosis and adenomyosis pain can change pain processing in the brainWhy pain may persist after excision surgery or a hysterectomy

What central sensitization means and why recovery can take time

How endometriosis may disrupt vagal tone and autonomic nervous-system function

Why a hysterectomy can treat adenomyosis but does not treat endometriosis outside the uterus

How copper IUDs create localized inflammation

Why severe IUD pain, bleeding, fainting, or loss of function deserves investigation

How estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, oxytocin, and melatonin interact with inflammation

Why histamine symptoms may intensify around ovulation

How prostaglandins influence menstrual cramps, inflammation, and “period poops”