Endometriosis is not only a painful period. It is not only tissue that is uterine lining misplaced pieces. The endometriosis exhibits its own entity. Endometriosis is not only an inflammatory systemic disease characterized by the formation of endometrial type tissue present in extrauterine sites and pelvic pain.
According to research conducted by the Center for Endometriosis Care website “The endometriosis disease is more than merely a “menstruation condition or “killer cramps” and is mislabeled. Despite the most common disease, misinformation, persistent myths, and deficient health awareness result in enshrouding endometriosis”.
Endometriotic tissue is inflammatory and thus causes debilitating pain that is all month long. Endometriosis pain affects the whole pelvic cavity, urinary system, gestational system, nerves, thoracic cavity, scar tissue formation, adhesions, and more medical complications.
Endometriosis causes chronic inflammatory reactions that result from scar tissue formation (fibrosis, adhesions) existing within the pelvic and other body regions of a woman’s body.
There are different lesions types associated with endometriosis type:
- Superficial endometriosis is found mainly in the pelvic peritoneum.
- Cystic ovarian endometriosis is found in the ovaries.
- Deep endometriosis is found in the recto-vaginal spectrum, bowel, and bladder.
- In rare cases, endometriosis is found outside the pelvic cavity.
Causes of endometriosis
Endometriosis is a complex disease that impacts women globally from the onset of menarche and through menopause, irrespective of social status or ethnic group.
Causative factors of endometriosis are:
- Retrograde menstruation has resulted in endometriosis when menstrual blood exhibiting endometrial flows back via fallopian tubes into the pelvic cavity. The cells at that time flow through the vagina and cervix during periods.
- Stem cells increase disease, which is spread into the body via lymphatic and blood vessels.
- Cellular metaplasia results when cells are changed from one to another. The cells present outside the uterus change into endometrial cells and start growing.
Another causative factor that results in the persistence of ectopic endometrial tissue or growth is estrogen is associated with increased inflammation and endometriosis pain. However, the relationship between endometriosis and estrogen is complex as the absence of estrogen never indicates the absence of endometriosis.
Endometriosis sign and symptoms
Endometriosis causes severe pelvic pain, specifically during the menstrual period. Some women also experience pain during coitus (sexual intercourse) or some experience trouble getting pregnant.
Some women never experience common endometriosis symptoms. Those who experience symptoms is a common symptom of pain in the lower pelvic region (belly). Pain is one of the most noticeable endometriosis symptoms.
The endometriosis pain is experienced:
- During period
- While defecating or urinating
- During or after sex
Some women also experience:
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Fatigue
- Anxiety or depression
- Nausea or bloating
- Trouble getting periods
- Heavy bleeding during periods of between periods
Endometriosis symptoms improve often after menopause but are not mandatory in every case.
Endometriosis symptoms are broad and variable, denoting that healthcare workers fail to diagnose endometriosis easily. Women having signs of endometriosis may not be aware of it.
Impact of endometriosis
Endometriosis exhibits a significant impact on public, social, economic, and public health implications. Endometriosis in women decreases life quality due to fatigue, severe pain, anxiety, depression, and infertility. Women suffering from endometriosis experience debilitating pain that basically prevents them from day-to-day life activities.
Painful sex experienced by women due to endometriosis results in avoidance or interruption of intercourse that impacts the overall sexual health of affected women and their partners adversely. However, addressing endometriosis empowers affected women by supporting their rights to higher standards of reproductive and sexual health and overall well-being.
Diagnosis
After taking A careful history of chronic pelvic pain and menstrual symptoms provides basic information to diagnose endometriosis. However, multiple screening tests and tools are tested and proposed. None of the testing tools are validated as accurate in the prediction and identification of endometriosis signs in women. Endometriosis normally presents symptoms that tend to mimic other medical conditions resulting in delayed diagnosis. Ovarian endometrioma, deep nodular forms of the disease, and adhesions are investigated via magnetic resonance imaging MRI, or ultrasonography.
Histologic verification, normally following laparoscopic/surgical visualization is useful in diagnostic conformation, specifically in the presence of superficial lesions. The need for laparoscopic or histological conformation is not based on preventing the commencement of medical empirical treatment.
Treatment
Endometriosis treatment can vary depending on the severity of symptoms and either desired pregnancy. Range of medication is available to manage endometriosis symptoms. The Non-Steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs and analgesics are used to cure endometriosis pain. hormonal medications such as GnRH-analogues and contraceptive medications or methods control pain.
The methods include following:
- Patches
- Implants
- Pills
- Implants
- Vaginal rings
- Injections
- Hormonal intrauterine devices IUDs
Methods may not be suitable for women who are pregnant.
Fertility medication and procedures are used for those women having problems conceiving due to endometriosis.
Surgical procedure is recommended in order to remove endometriosis lesions, scar tissue, and adhesions. Laparoscopy is done to keep endometriotic lesions small.
Women should discuss treatment options with health care providers.
Treatment options are based on individual effectiveness and preferences, long-term safety, side effects, availability, and costs.
Rising endometriosis awareness enables early diagnosis of endometriosis. The early treatment options tend to slow natural disease progression and reduce long-term symptoms associated with endometriosis.
Some treatment options are associated with side effects and endometriosis symptoms that reappear after the end of therapy. Treatment choice depends on individual effectiveness, long-term safety, side effects, availability, and cost. Furthermore, current hormonal management is not suitable for women suffering endometriosis wishing to get pregnant as they affect ovulation.
Prevention
At present, there is no authentic way to prevent endometriosis. Therefore, enhanced awareness of common endometriosis symptoms after early diagnosis limits the natural progression of endometriosis. Endometriosis awareness reduces long-term endometriotic disease burden and associated symptoms including central nervous system pain sensitization.