Have you heard about endometriosis? Did you know that according to the Brazilian Endometriosis Association, between 10% to 15% of women of reproductive age (13 to 45 years) can develop it and 30% have a chance of becoming sterile?
Endometriosis is a very serious disease and unfortunately, it is still quite unknown by women.
When I wrote the text on breast cancer , I stressed the importance of early diagnosis and prevention. The same goes for endometriosis and ALL other diseases! Always remember: health first!
Endometriosis is a condition in which the endometrium, the mucosa that lines the inner wall of the uterus, grows in other regions of the body.
This ectopic tissue formation normally occurs in the pelvic region, outside the uterus, in the ovaries, in the intestine, in the rectum, in the bladder and in the delicate membrane that lines the pelvis. However, these growths can also occur in other parts of the body.
Causes of endometriosis
Every month the endometrium gets thicker so that a fertilized egg can be implanted in it. When there is no pregnancy, this enlarged endometrium flakes and is expelled during menstruation. In some cases, some of this blood migrates in the opposite direction and falls into the ovaries or abdominal cavity, causing endometriotic damage.
The causes of this behavior are still unknown, but doctors have raised some possible causes for the problem:
● Retrograde menstruation
This happens when the menstrual blood containing endometrial cells returns through the fallopian tubes and pelvic cavity instead of leaving the woman’s body. These lost endometrial cells install themselves on the walls of organs in the pelvic region and begin to grow. Despite this, they continue to function normally, as if they were in the right place.
● Growth of embryonic cells
The cells lining the abdomen and pelvic cavities originate from common embryonic cells. When, in the process of tissue differentiation, the cells lining the intestine can become endometrial tissue and thus endometriosis can appear.
● Deficient immune system
Deficiencies in the immune system can also cause disease, making the body unable to recognize and destroy endometrial cells that grow in the wrong place.
● Other causes of endometriosis
After some surgery, such as hysterectomy, for example, the cells of the endometrium may become attached to the surgical incisions. The lymphatic system can also transport cells from the endometrium to other parts of the body and give rise to a picture of endometriosis in more distant places, such as the lung, for example.
Symptoms
- Menstrual cramps;
- Infertility;
- Pain in sexual intercourse;
- Changes in the intestine at the time of menstruation, in cases of endometriosis that involves the region (showing symptoms such as diarrhea, stuck intestine, anal bleeding);
- Changes in the bladder and urinary tract at the time of menstruation, in cases of endometriosis involving the urinary tract (perceived by the increase in the volume of urination, pain when urinating or bleeding in the urine, for example);
- Continuous pain, regardless of menstruation, especially in cases of more advanced endometriosis, with a large amount of adhesions in the pelvic organs.
Diagnosis
To diagnose endometriosis, an ultrasound scan is required, looking for pieces of endometrial tissue throughout the body.
The exam is a bit boring and not practical. But look how cool, I was researching more about endometriosis, I got in touch with some doctors and one of them told me that a Brazilian student named Georgia Gabriela had developed a fast and inexpensive method to diagnose the disease! Isn’t that too much ?!
According to Georgia, the diagnosis of endometriosis could be made through blood, urine or saliva tests, since biological changes can be identified in these materials.
I’m amazed! I wonder how many millions of women she will help, I am very happy and proud!
Treatments
There are two types of treatment: medication or surgery. Each of them has its specificities, and it is up to the gynecologist to assess the severity of the disease in each case and recommend the best treatment.
Can women who have endometriosis practice pompoirism?
Well, I receive several emails with this same question and from what I researched there are several degrees of endometriosis, so the best person to indicate the practice or not of pompoarism is your gynecologist. If you are doing the monitoring and treatment correctly and if you are under control, there is no problem.
I hope you enjoyed this article and understood how endometriosis is a serious disease that deserves attention.
