Endometriosis, according to the WHO , is a fairly common benign disease, which affects approximately 10% of women during their reproductive years. If not treated in time, it can end up causing sterility and even increase the risk of uterine cancer.
This disease is often confused with a problem of pelvic inflammation or ovarian cysts, hence the importance of knowing how to recognize and treat it. We will talk about that in this article.
What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis is the formation of a tissue similar to that which surrounds the uterus. It is known as the endometrium, in healthy people it breaks down and bleeds when there is no fertilization and is discarded by the body during the menstrual cycle. If there is endometriosis, the tissue develops outside the uterus and the body cannot expel it , so it ends up turning into scar tissue that causes many complications in the adjacent organs.
The function of the endometrial tissue in the uterus is to create a lining, which allows the baby to be housed and nourished during pregnancy . This coating grows and becomes stronger according to the needs of the new being. In endometriosis, the malformation occurs outside the uterus, it is generally located in the pelvic area and can grow , eventually adhering to the surrounding organs.
Although endometriosis is not a malignant disease, it causes a lot of pain. In some women it forms small implants that do not grow or change, in others uncontrolled growth can occur , leading to cysts and many other complications.
symptoms of endometriosis
The main symptom to identify endometriosis is dysmenorrhea , known as problematic and painful menstruation. Normally, cramps and pain are experienced during the menstrual cycle, but dysmenorrhea is different because the pain is much more intense, and is accompanied by nausea, diarrhea and inflammation. This pain can precede and precede the normal days of the menstrual period. The National Library of Medicine explains its symptoms.
pains
Pain when urinating or defecating are usually common during the period when suffering from dysmenorrhea. That pain that resembles a strong uterine contraction is due to the formation of prostaglandins.
There is also a lot of pain during sexual intercourse. Endometriosis can bind organs that shouldn’t be, due to scar tissue formation. If endometriosis, for example, connects the vagina to the lower part of the uterus, this area can be pulled and stretched during sexual intercourse, causing pain during and after intercourse.
bleeding
Bleeding disorders in women with endometriosis can vary . In some cases, heavy bleeding occurs, in addition to the appearance of intermenstrual bleeding, that is, between one period and another.
infertility
Infertility is one of the symptoms, or results, generated by endometriosis. It is one of the main reasons that make the woman find out that she has the disease. Infertility occurs because the tissue scars the fallopian tubes , alters the hormonal environment of the eggs, or causes a proinflammatory process in the pelvis. All this prevents the effective ovulation process.
A woman with endometriosis can get pregnant, although she has an increased risk of miscarriage. These risks can be minimized by treating the disease.
Causes and diagnosis of endometriosis
No specific cause for endometriosis has been identified . However, there are factors that influence its development. Let’s analyze some of them.
pooling of blood
Some experts support the idea that the onset of endometriosis is usually due to blood containing endometrial tissue that should be expelled from the body backing up and lodged in the fallopian tubes , pelvic walls, and pelvic organs. This tissue continues to thicken, even though there is bleeding during the menstrual cycle.
Inheritance
There seems to be a hereditary component , since there are cases in which several women in the same family have endometriosis.
Immunodeficiency
An immune problem also favors the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus. This happens because the defenses do not recognize the endometrial cells as a threat and therefore do not destroy them. On the contrary, they allow them a free development in the organs.
In other cases, the body transforms some cells into organisms similar to those of the endometrium . This usually happens in the area near the pelvis or in the abdomen. On very few occasions, it happens in areas far from this area.
Whatever the reason for endometriosis, it can be diagnosed through a standard medical procedure . It must be performed by a health professional, an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of this kind of disease.
Endometriosis Treatment
The secret to effectively eradicating endometriosis lies in identifying the problem as soon as possible, in order to then follow an appropriate treatment, either surgical or through medication . Depending on the severity of the disease, the first step to follow is medical treatment and, if there is no improvement or the disease is widespread, surgery would be performed.
Drugs
Among the treatments based on hormonal therapies, you can find contraceptives and Danazol, which causes a decrease in ovarian hormones, causing a state similar to menopause or pseudomenopause. This treatment can also be accompanied by analgesics, antiprostaglandins and anti-inflammatories to reduce menstrual pain.
Surgery
Among the surgical interventions we find laparoscopy, which is the least invasive. Through it, endometrial growths can be cut or burned. On the other hand, laparotomy is an open surgery of the abdomen, which allows a broader view of the endometrial tissue located in the internal organs.
It is also possible to perform a hysterectomy, this being the most radical option. It is used to extract or remove the uterus, cervix and ovaries, thus eliminating the endometrial tissue and its origin.