The female body has many different organs that do not exist in the male body, which is why women go through various diseases and conditions that men don’t even know much about. This is one reason why there is such a lack of awareness regarding some of the common diseases of the female reproductive system. One such condition is endometriosis.
Endometriosis is a painful and common disease affecting about 2 to 10% of women aged 25 to 40 in America alone. It is a condition of the female reproductive system and hence doesn’t get as much attention as it should. As a result, many women living with the condition have no idea what they are going through and suffer from pain throughout their life.
This is why today we decided to compile this article to make people aware of the symptoms of endometriosis and how they can treat it. Hence, if you are one of those people who lack knowledge about the disease and would like to learn more about it, keep reading!
What is Endometriosis?
As discussed above, endometriosis is a painful disorder of the female productive system. In this condition, tissues of the uterine lining – called the endometrium, start growing outside the uterus on the other parts of your body. The area most commonly involved in the growth of the tissue are the fallopian tubes, ovaries, and the tissue lining of the pelvis. Very rare – but sometimes, this tissue growth can also be found beyond the area where the pelvic organs are located.
The endometrium lining of the uterus consists of the tissues women shed during their menstrual cycle. When these tissues grow outside the uterine lining, they start acting like they would inside the uterus. The endometrial-like tissues growing outside thicken, break down and bleed with each menstrual cycle. But because they are not in the uterus, they do not have any way to exit the body and become trapped inside.
This causes the formation of endometriomas, which are what we normally know as cysts in the ovaries. This condition also causes the surrounding tissues to become irritated and turn into scar tissues or adhesions, which are bands of fibrous tissues that often cause pelvic organs and tissues to stick to each other.
This entry condition is extremely painful and can sometimes cause severe pain during menstrual periods, which is also the biggest sign of the disease and lead to fertility problems. However, fortunately, if identified at the right time, the symptoms can be treated.
Endometriosis Types
There are 3 main types of endometriosis:
- Superficial Peritoneal Lesion:The most common type of endometriosis causes lesions to develop on the peritoneum, a thin film in your pelvic cavity.
- Endometrioma (aka Ovarian Lesions:This causes fluid-filled, dark-colored cysts t- also called chocolate cysts, to form deep in the ovaries.
- Deeply Infiltrating Endometriosis:This involves the growth of tissues under the peritoneum and can affect organs near the uterus, such as bladed and bowels.
Endometriosis Symptoms
There are many common symptoms of endometriosis that are often overlooked because many women without endometriosis can also experience them at a lower intensity. For example:
· Pelvic Pain
This is the primary symptom of endometriosis, which is often associated with menstrual periods, and most women during their time of the month may experience discomfort in their pelvic region. However, women with endometriosis have it differently because the pain is much worse and more intense than it is for other women. Moreover, the pain increases with time.
· Painful Periods (dysmenorrhea)
Other than pelvic pain, women with endometriosis also experience dysmenorrhea, which is described as throbbing cramping pain during their periods. This pain begins before the period and can also extend beyond the menstrual days. This is often combined with lower back and abdominal pain as well.
· Painful Urination and Bowel Movements
While painful urination and bowel movement can be a symptom of many other digestive conditions or urinary tract infections, experiencing this discomfort, specifically during your menstruation days, can be an indication of endometriosis.
· Painful Intercourse
This is another major symptom of endometriosis; sex is not supposed to be painful; hence, if you are experiencing pain with penetration, it could be because of endometriosis.
· Excessive Bleeding
Heavy menstrual periods or bleeding during periods (aka intermenstrual bleeding) is a common sign of endometriosis.
· Infertility
Endometriosis is often overlooked but is often diagnosed when people seek treatment for infertility.
· Other Symptoms
Other than the common indication of endometriosis mentioned above, women with the condition may also experience constipation, bloating, diarrhea, extreme fatigue, and nausea during menstrual periods.
Endometriosis Treatment
Here is no definite cure for endometriosis, but there are treatments available to help the symptoms and manage the problems caused by the disease.
· Medication
Doctors recommend women with endometriosis take OTC pain relievers – anti-inflammatory and non-steroidal drugs like naproxen (Aleve) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, etc.) work for many people.
Other than that, doctors also put omen on hormonal birth control medication to help treat fertility problems linked to the disease.
In some cases, doctors also recommend an IUD (intrauterine device) to help reduce pain and bleeding. But a hormonal IUD may work differently; it protects you from pregnancy for up to 7 years but doesn’t work doe pain and bleeding.
· Surgery
In some serious cases, doctors also recommend women o go through surgery to remove affected tissues as much as possible. While operating, doctors identify affected areas and remove endometriosis patches. The surgical options are hysterectomy and laparoscopy.
Consult a Doctor
Painful periods and painful intercourse are often brushed under the rug, even though they should be taken very seriously. It is not normal for women to experience unbearable intense pain during their menstrual periods or penetrative sex – and if you are experiencing this issue, it is best to consult a doctor as soon as possible.
If you are uninsured or underinsured and are not visiting your doctor because of this, you should contact Advocate my Meds. They are a prescription assistance company and can help you through your treatment and medical bills.
