We see women suffering from Endometriosis all across the world in more numbers than ever before. It's a disorder where the tissue that's similar to the uterus lining, starts growing out of the uterine cavity. The uterus lining is called the endometrium.
When Does Endometriosis Occur?
A lot of you might be wondering how does this happen? Well, it occurs when the tissue starts growing over the bowel, ovaries, and in the pelvis tissue lining. For the most part, this growth doesn't spread beyond the pelvic region, but there is no guarantee. In case it happens it's termed as an endometrial implant.
The reason for such misplacement can be due to the hormonal changes in your body. This causes the area to get painful and inflamed. It's a time when the tissue is going to thicken, grow, and then break down. Over some time, this tissue doesn't have anywhere else to go and gets trapped in the pelvis region.
How Does The Trapped Tissue Affect You?
The tissue that stays can cause:
1. Irritation.
2. Formation of the scar.
3. Adhesions where the tissue binds together the pelvic organs.
4. Extreme pain while you are on periods.
5. Fertility issues.
Understand that Endometriosis is amongst the common gynecological conditions. And affects about ten percent of women in their reproductive age, so if you are suffering from it you are not alone. So don't stress out!
What Are The Symptoms Of Endometriosis?
Endometriosis symptoms vary largely. Some women suffer from milder symptoms while others can have severe or mild symptoms. One thing to keep in mind is that pain severity doesn't indicate the stage or degree of the disorder. You might have a milder form but suffer from extreme pains. Then there can be a situation where the form is severe but the discomfort might be little.
One of the most common symptoms of endometriosis is pelvic pain. Other symptoms include:
1. Painful periods.
2. Before menstruation lower abdomen pain.
3. Two weeks around the time of menstruation there are cramps.
4. Bleeding occurs between periods or the flow is heavy on periods.
5. Bowel movements with discomfort.
6. Pain in the lower back that becomes prominent during periods.
But you need to be careful as there are patients that don't have any of the symptoms. Therefore you must go for a regular gynecological checkup each year so that any changes can be noticed on time.
What to do next?
Well, if you are experiencing two or more of these symptoms, it's best to consult your gynecologist. There can be tests that need to get done for checking hormonal levels and also an ultrasound.
Final Thoughts:
Understand that endometriosis is a condition that has no cure. There are also no clear causes that we know of yet. But this also doesn't mean that you have to get impacted by it in your daily lie. There are great treatments available that will help you in managing fertility issues. This includes surgery, hormone therapy, and medications. Also after menopause, the endometriosis symptoms mostly improve.