Endometriosis Symptoms, Causes and Treatment Explained

Endometriosis Symptoms, Causes and Treatment Explained

Endometriosis is a painful condition in which the lining inside the uterus i.e. endometrium grows outside the uterus. It majorly includes your fallopian tube, pelvis tissue lining and ovaries.

When you suffer from endometriosis, the endometrial tissue continues to function normally but it thickens breaks and bleeds with every menstrual cycle. As there is no way for the displaced tissue to exit your body, it gets trapped. If endometriosis includes ovaries, it is known as endometriomas. Nearby tissues may become irritated and form scar tissues and adhesions. Irregular fibrous tissue bands can make pelvic tissue and organs to stick to one another.

Endometriosis can cause severe pain during menstrual cycle. It may also cause fertility problems, thus effective treatment is necessary.

Symptoms

The major endometriosis symptom is pelvic pain, often connected with menstrual periods. Though a lot of girls may get cramping during their periods but those suffering from endometriosis experience far more worse menstrual pain than normal! Pain gets high with time.

Common endometriosis symptoms and signs are:

1. Painful period: Cramping and pain in pelvic may start from before and continue even after your menstrual period. You may also suffer from abdominal and back pain.
2. Pain during sex: Women suffering from endometriosis experience pain during and after sex.
3. Pain during urination and bowel movement
4. Excess bleeding: Women may get heavy menstrual period or intermenstrual bleeding.
5. Infertility: Those seeking treatment for infertility may be diagnosed with endometriosis
6. Other symptoms include fatigue, constipation, diarrhea, nausea as well as bloating.

When should you see a doctor?

It is important to see a doctor if you have symptoms indicating endometriosis. An early diagnosis ma help you tackle the symptoms in a better way and get effective and efficient treatment.

Causes

Though exact endometriosis causes aren’t certain, but possible explanations comprise of:

1. Retrograde menstruation: In this situation, menstrual blood with endometrial cells goes back via the fallopian tubes in the pelvic cavity rather than going out of the body.
2. Peritoneal cells: Doctors suggest that hormones enhance transformation of peritoneal cells which line your abdomen inner side to endometrial cells.
3. Embryonic cell transformation: Hormones like estrogen can transform embryonic cells to endometrial cells implants.
4. Surgical scar implantation: Post surgery, endometrial cells can get attach to a surgical incision.
5. Endometrial cell transport: The blood vessels may carry endometrial cells to your other body parts.
6. Immune system disorder: Sometimes problem with immune system may fail to recognize and damage the endometrial tissue that has grown outside the uterus.

Diagnosis

For endometrium diagnosis, your doctor should notice your symptoms and perform such tests which include:

1. Pelvic exam: Your doctor will manually check the abnormalities in the pelvis like cysts on your reproductive parts or scar on the uterus. Often you can’t feel endometriosis small areas till they have cause a cyst formation.
2. Ultrasound: It creates images of inside your body using a device pressed against your abdomen or inserted in your vagina. They render best view and inform you about cysts linked with endometriosis.
3. MRI: MRI creates detailed pictures of the organs as well as tissues in your body. It can tell you the size and location of endometrial implant.
4. Laparoscopy: Often your doctor may suggest for a laparoscopy where a surgeon will make a small incision near your navel to look for endometrial tissue signs outside your uterus.

Treatment

Endometriosis treatment includes surgery as well as medication. However, it depends on the approach your doctor chooses to have depending on the severity of signs and symptoms whether you wish to get pregnant in the future or not.

Doctors will suggest conservative treatment first and then go for surgical measure.

Medication

First and foremost, your doctor will suggest over the counter pain relief medication like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, aspirin to ease your menstrual cramping. You can also opt for hormonal therapy along with pain medications if you are not planning to get pregnant.

Hormonal therapy

Supplemental hormones are quite effective in wiping out or lowering the pain of endometriosis. It is the rise and fall of the hormones during your period which leads to endometrial implants to get thick, break and bleed. Hormonal medication can lower the pace of endometrial tissue growth and avoid any new implantation of endometrial tissue.

Though it is not a permanent cure for endometriosis but it can stop your pain.

Surgery

If you still experience pain and other symptoms, then you should undergo a surgery to get it removed permanently. It will preserve your uterus and ovaries and enhance your chance of getting pregnant

About This Author

Hemant Kumar Joined: July 24th, 2019