It is a common condition that women have, yet most women haven't heard about endometriosis and its symptoms. Women with endometriosis have fertilization complications and chronic pain during their period.
According to a Parent Herald report, it is a medical condition affecting a woman's ability to conceive as well as the stages of her pregnancy. Not only that, this chronic disorder also causes pelvic pain.
“Though most women haven't heard of the condition, endometriosis plagued women with fertilization complications and chronic pain during their period,” the report said. “Almost six million, which is around 4 percent of the total population of females in the United States, have endometriosis.”
Because most women don’t know they have it, they tend to neglect their condition. They could mistake its common symptoms as normal part of their lives.
Women who have endometriosis may experience severe cramps during their period, pain during sex, infertility and fatigue.
They are also more prone to yeast infections, allergies, and they are highly sensitive to chemicals.
What is endometriosis?
Women could experience either side of the extremes when it comes to symptoms: some would experience nosebleeds and severe migraines, while for some it may be just muscle cramps.
“Endometriosis may affect millions but [experts could not distinguish the cause yet]” the same report said. “It affects women as young as 14, while others experience it during their menopausal years.”
Endometriosis meaning
Endometriosis happens when tissue, like the lining of the endometrium, develops outside the uterus, meaning, an abnormality. The tissue that grew outside your uterus is not the same as endometrium tissue. However, they may possess common features.
The tissue may grow anywhere in your body. Particularly, it always affects the pelvic area, which includes the following:
- the ovaries
- the fallopian tubes
- tissues that support the uterus
- the outside area of the uterus
Endometrium tissue may also grow in other areas. This tissue can grow in your digestive tract, your lungs, and your heart.
Your body often expels this type of tissue whenever you have menstruation. But, the tissue that grows in endometriosis might remain inside your body, which may result in inflammation. As this tissue decomposes, scar tissue can develop.
Endometriosis may significantly affect a person's quality of lifestyle. With the pain as its primary indication, they might also experience pressures regarding:
- chronic pain
- employment factor
- the overpriced cost of medical attention
- dealing with relationships
- difficulty in maintaining a sociable life
- concerns about infertility or not being able to become pregnant
- stress, anxiety, and depression
From the reviewed research of MedicalNewsToday.com, it might take an approximately 6.7 years to determine an accurate diagnosis. This 2013 report also claimed that during this time, people may lose an average of 6.8 hours of work a week. It might be because of the severe impact of the condition.
What causes endometriosis?
Doctors and experts do not know what exactly causes endometriosis. Some doctors think menstrual blood that contains endometrial cells might pass back through your fallopian tubes and towards your pelvic cavity. This is where the cells stick to your organs. This is what they call retrograde menstruation.
Your genes can also be a factor in this condition, and what causes endometriosis. If your mom or your sister has endometriosis, you are more likely to have it, too. Research may present that it has the tendency to get worse from one generation up to the next.
In some cases, women with endometriosis also have immune deficiencies or issues. However, it is not sure whether there is a link between the conditions.
Signs and Symptoms of Endometriosis
Pain is the most common presentation of signs and symptoms of endometriosis. However, the level of pain does not equate to the extent of the disease.
Pain may usually disappear after menopause once your body stops producing estrogen. But, if the person uses hormone therapy during menopause, signs, and symptoms of endometriosis may persist.
What are the first signs of endometriosis?
The first signs of endometriosis can be associated also with pain, as what indication will the condition always shows. Also, you may not notice any symptoms of endometriosis, until you have the following first signs:
- back pain during your period
- pain when pooping or peeing, often during the period
- fatigue that won't go away
- painful sex
These first signs of endometriosis may also be similar to what it presents in its foreboding symptoms.
Endometriosis symptoms
Symptoms of endometriosis may include:
- painful cramping, like menstrual cramps
- long-term lower back and pelvic pain
- periods lasting longer than 7 days
- heavy menstrual bleeding
- bowel and urinary issues, with pain, diarrhea, constipation, and bloating
- urine and stool with blood
- nausea and vomiting
- fatigue
- pain during sexual activity
- spotting or bleeding between periods
- with difficulty in becoming pregnant or infertility
If ever you happen to almost complete the said endometriosis symptoms, you better get to your doctor immediately. Ask for a treatment that can help you resolve this condition.
Endometriosis treatment
Once diagnosed with endometriosis symptoms, doctors may prescribe over-the-counter pain killers to ease the discomfort, but according to Mayo Clinic it no longer works for some women.
Numerous treatments are available for treating endometriosis, the most common of which is birth control.
Both injectables and IUDs can help correct the condition. But if endometriosis persists even with the intake of pills, surgery is a requirement, aid the report.
Laparoscopy needs are a need in having an endometriosis diagnosis. It is a surgical procedure wherein doctors use a camera to examine the individual's abdomen. Additionally, they also extract a tissue sample.
“Ultrasound is also another option to diagnose this endometriosis condition.”
Diagnosis of endometriosis when showing symptoms
Your doctor may suspect endometriosis based on your symptoms. To verify it, they can do some screenings or tests. These include the following:
- Pelvic exam. The doctor can be able to feel cysts or scars behind your uterus.
- Imaging tests. An ultrasound, a CT scan, or an MRI can make detailed images of your organs.
- Laparoscopy. The doctor might make a small cut in your belly and will insert a thin tube with the camera on the end (or laparoscope). They can see where and how big lesions are. This can be the only way to be totally agreeable that you have endometriosis.
- Biopsy. Your doctor will take a sample of tissue, often during a laparoscopy. Then, a specialist will look at it under a microscope to verify the diagnosis.
Endometriosis ultrasound
An endometriosis ultrasound is an imaging procedure that helps your doctor determine if you have endometriosis. With endometriosis, pieces of tissue that line your uterus (endometrium) may grow in places outside the uterus, like your ovaries, bladder, and intestines.
The abnormal growth of this tissue may become inflamed, and develop into an endometriosis cyst as what they call endometriomas. Additionally, it may also include unpleasant symptoms, like severe menstrual cramps.
An ultrasound does not provide all the information needed to diagnose this condition. However, it may offer clues so that your doctor can use to approach further steps about the diagnosis.
Endometriosis ultrasound can provide information that your doctor uses to recommend some treatments, too.
Reminder: When dealing with a crucial condition like endometriosis and its symptoms, you better go to the hospital once you experience the first signs of it.
Additional information by Nathanielle Torre
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