WHAT IS ENDOMETRIOSIS?
Endometriosis is a disorder in which the endometrium, or tissue that is supposed to normally line with the uterus, grows outside of it and causes discomfort, bleeding, pain, and in rare cases even issued with digestion or infertility.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF ENDOMETRIOSIS?
The symptoms can vary but generally, the most common symptom is a pain in the form of very painful menstrual cramping, chronic pain during or after sexual intercourse, or chronic back pain, painful bowel movements, or pain during urination.
Other symptoms include spotting or bleeding between periods, digestive and stomach problems including constipation, diarrhea, nausea, and bloating.
WHO GETS AFFECTED BY ENDOMETRIOSIS?
6 to 10 percent of women get affected by endometriosis as it is reported by medicalnewstoday.com. Even though this condition can happen as early as the fetus is developing, it is not an issue until the individual hits puberty because of the increase of estrogen levels that intensify the condition.
Sadly, the majority of women are not diagnosed and sometimes it takes more than 10 years to get a clear diagnosis of what is happening, even in the US. Because everything from chemical sensitivities to allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmune disease, and ovarian cancer are connected also to women with endometriosis.
WHAT IS THE TREATMENT FOR ENDOMETRIOSIS?
Today, there is not a cure for endometriosis but there are ways to treat the symptoms. First, patients will get prescribed with medication for pain relief usually in the form of an NSAID. Second, they will need hormone therapy that can stop the menstrual period or help them reduce the heavy bleeding. The hormone therapy can reduce inflammation and it can come in the form of birth control.
Lastly, if neither of these solutions works, it is also possible to have surgery in order to remove the misplaced tissue. Or, there is also the option of partial or full hysterectomy (removal of the reproductive organs) which is not suggested for women who want to give birth to children.
WHAT TESTS DO YOU NEED FOR ENDOMETRIOSIS?
There are various ways that doctors can test you for endometriosis. First, they will perform a pelvic exam when they will manually look for abnormalities. But, this test may not be correct because it is difficult to feel any abnormalities if they have not yet caused cysts or are not yet advanced.
The most effective way is through an MRI scan which will give doctors a detailed image of your body organs and tissues. Another option is laparoscopy which is a procedure where the surgeon takes a tissue sample from your body to confirm endometriosis.
