Facts About Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a condition that affects only females and occurs when the endometrium, the tissue that lines the innards of the uterus, starts to grow outside the uterus. Just as the endometrium participates in menstrual bleeding, the endometrial-like tissue growing outside of the uterus also bleeds.

But unlike the original endometrium, the endometrial-like tissue does not empty its blood content like the endometrium does during menstruation. When blood does not flow out of this tissue, the uterus begins to swell, scars tissues start to develop on the exterior of the uterus, then lesions and inflammation set in.

Although these outgrowths are not cancerous but can block the fallopian tube and cause scars, lesions, and adhesion on the uterus and fallopian tube. In advanced cases of endometriosis, cysts can appear, and there can be a gradual change in the reproductive organ as a result of the fusion of tissues.

Endometriosis has been discovered not to affect only the uterus but also other female reproductive organs. It can also tamper with other major organs within the pelvic area like the bladder and the bowel. In other words, endometriosis can happen in any part of the body. However, it affects the ovaries, fallopian tube, and the uterus-supporting tissues that are outside the uterus mostly. The digestive tract, heart, and lungs are not left out of the areas that can be affected by endometriosis.

Research has shown that endometriosis can cause infertility in women in the long run, especially if it is advanced endometriosis. Coupled with infertility, it is also characterized by unusual bleeding and severe pain. It can occur in women between the ages 15 and 44 but is more prevalent in women within the 30 and 40 years old age bracket. According to studies, 11% of the United States of America women aged 15 to 44 have been diagnosed with endometriosis.

Women who suffer from this ailment have reported that the pain that comes with the inflammation, scars, and adhesion reduces the quality of their lives drastically through anxiety, relationship issues from fertility problems, depression, and stress.

Types of Endometriosis

There are three types of endometriosis, and they include;

Superficial peritoneal lesions: This is the most common of all three types. It is characterized by severe lesions in the pelvic cavity.

Ovarian lesion (endometrioma): It is characterized by chocolate-like fluid trapped in cyst bags deep inside the ovaries. It can affect healthy cells of the body, and this makes it one of the most difficult to manage or treat.

Deeply infiltrating endometriosis: About 1% of every 5% of women suffering from endometriosis have the deeply infiltrated kind. The deeply infiltrated endometriosis grows under the peritoneum, thus affecting other vital organs close by, like the bladder and bowel.

Stages of Endometriosis

The stages of endometriosis range from minimal to severe, depending on the location, dept of implant, and severity of the lesion and scars.

Stage I of endometriosis is called the minimal stage.

Stage II — mild.

Stage III — moderate.

Stage IV — severe.

The moderate stage is accompanied by severe scars and cysts that appear on the ovaries, while the severe stage can trigger infertility.

Causes of Endometriosis

Even though the roots of endometriosis are still yet to be known. However, some experts and researchers have pinpointed some factors that they believe might be the culprit of this condition. Some of these factors include;

• Hereditary
• Surgeries like episiotomy or cesarean section
• Immune system defects, especially when the immune system fails to eliminate the misplaced endometrial cells
• Endometrial cells that traveled to other areas of the body during menstrual bleeding.

All of these factors are suspected to be the causes of endometriosis. But research is still required to validate these claims.

Risk Factors of Endometriosis

The following are people who may suffer from endometriosis.

• Women between ages 15 and 40, but mostly those aged 30 to 40
• Women who have never had children
• Women who have periods longer than 7 days
• Women who have a short menstrual cycle; say less than 28 days cycle
• Family history/hereditary
• Women started menstruating before they clocked 12
• Reproductive tract disorder
• Any health condition that causes the lack of blood flow during menstruation

With all these conditions in place, a woman can develop endometriosis.

Symptoms of Endometriosis

• Painful menstrual-like cramps
• Painful sex
• Heavy menstrual flow
• Lower back pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Bloodstains in urine and stool
• Fatigue
• Urinary and bowel problems like constipation, flatulence, diarrhea, bloating, and pain.
• Difficulty getting pregnant
• Bleeding or spotting in-between periods

Complications

• Can cause severe infertility. People with this condition have an almost 50% chance of having fertility issues.
• Severe depression and anxiety
• Ovarian cyst
• Ovarian cancer
• Severe inflammation

It is most reasonable to treat this condition before it gets to this point. Without these complications, the quality of your life must have been reduced already to the barest minimum. Talk more of when you leave it to migrate to this point.

It is best to understand the symptoms of endometriosis, as some other health conditions have been discovered to produce almost the same symptoms as endometriosis. Understanding these symptoms will help you discern what exactly you are suffering from and help your doctor in the diagnosis of your condition. Some of the other conditions that have similar symptoms as endometriosis include;

• Irritable bowel disease
• Ovarian cyst
• Pelvic inflammation disease

Endometriosis comes with severe stress, pain, and inflammation. However, the severity of the pain does not determine the extent of the disease. Also, the pain stops during menopause. This is because the body would have stopped producing estrogen at that point.

Diagnosis

The symptoms of endometriosis are not reliable enough to help in the diagnosis of the condition. Relying on the symptoms alone can lead to misdiagnosis as other health conditions have similar symptoms as endometriosis symptoms. Some of the processes that can assist  medical experts in determining whether or not a woman has endometriosis include;

Imaging examinations such as MRI, ultrasound, or CT scan can show your organs and help in the detection of any defect in those organs.

Mild surgeries such as laparoscopy and laparotomy. Here, the doctor cuts open a part of the abdomen and passes a laparoscope (a small camera) into the affected area to check for lesions. This is the most reliable way of diagnosing endometriosis.

Pelvic scan: The doctor, upon examining the pelvis, may be able to feel scars or cysts at the back of the uterus. This method does not give100% certainty about whether or not a woman has endometriosis.

Biopsy: This involves the microscopic examination of tissues taken out during laparoscopy to check for scar tissues.

Treatment of Endometriosis

Endometriosis cannot be completely treated. It can only be managed through changes to lifestyles and diets, medications, and surgeries. Including healthy foods in your diet and engaging in productive and healthy exercises regularly can help in the proper management of the condition. It is best to confer with your healthcare provider to know what foods and exercises are fit for you at this very point in your life.

Some of the medications that can help in the management of endometriosis include;

Hormone Therapy

Hormone drugs and contraceptives can be administered to control the production of estrogen. Some of these hormone drugs can also stop you from menstruating for a while to reduce the accumulation of blood in the endometrial cells outside the uterus.

Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

These drugs are pain relief drugs and can help reduce the pain and inflammation associated with endometriosis. It is best to consult your medical service provider before taking any NSAIDs. This will help you pick the right NSAIDs for you and your condition.

Surgeries that help in the management of endometriosis include;

Bigger cuts during laparoscopy to take out severely affected areas, including scars and lesions. This kind of surgery can increase your chance of having children.

However, when the reproductive organs, especially the ovaries, are damaged beyond repair, hysterectomy is carried out to completely remove the ovaries. This, however, will strike out your chances of having children.

Conclusion

Endometriosis is a disorder or disease that affects only women. It can tamper with their chances of getting pregnant. Unfortunately, this condition cannot be treated completely. It can only be managed through changes to lifestyle, habits, and diets.

Medications and surgeries also play important roles in the management of this condition. It is best to report symptoms as soon as they begin to manifest, as this will help prevent complications.