CHRONIC PAIN AND SUBJECTIVITY: PERCEPTION OF WOMEN WITH ENDOMETRIOSIS UNDERGOING MULTIDISCIPLINARY CARE

The study aimed to understand the meanings attributed to chronic pain by women diagnosed with endometriosis, analyzing how this experience is lived and interpreted across physical, emotional, and social dimensions. This qualitative research used semi-structured interviews with five women receiving care at a teaching clinic in the interior of Ceará, all with a confirmed clinical diagnosis of endometriosis. Participants were between 20 and 35 years old and had higher education. Data analysis was conducted through methodological triangulation, combining lexical analysis using IRaMuTeQ and thematic content analysis, which enabled the identification of discursive patterns and the organization of emerging categories. The findings revealed three main axes: the characterization and localization of pain, often intense, disabling, and present both during and outside the menstrual period; emotional and social impacts, such as anxiety, fear, isolation, work-related difficulties, and effects on interpersonal relationships; and treatment experiences, which included hormonal therapies and surgical interventions, with varying responses among participants. The narratives highlighted that pain transcends the physical dimension, constituting a complex subjective experience. In conclusion, pain related to endometriosis requires a broadened understanding and multiprofessional care practices that consider subjective, social, and clinical aspects, contributing to more humanized and integrated approaches.