Medically reviewed by Robyn Faye, M.D.
March is Endometriosis Consciousness Month.
Endometriosis is a painful situation that impacts greater than 11% of ladies ages 15-44. HealthyWomen reached out to Robyn Faye, M.D., an OB-GYN with the Abington Major Girls’s Healthcare Group and member of HealthyWomen’s Girls’s Well being Advisory Council, to get the fundamental details.
What’s endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a pelvic ache situation that happens when tissue just like the tissue that traces the uterus, referred to as endometrial tissue, turns into implanted outdoors the uterus and creates growths referred to as endometrial implants. The commonest location of endometriosis is the ovaries, nevertheless it can be discovered wherever within the physique, together with on the fallopian tubes, behind the uterus, on the bowels or bladder, and within the peritoneum, uterosacral ligaments and rectouterine pouch (referred to as rectovaginal endometriosis). A small share of endometriosis instances have an effect on the appendix.
What are the signs?
Signs might embrace persistent ache; lowered fertility; irregular intervals; painful menstrual cramps, referred to as dysmenorrhea, and painful intercourse.
You may additionally expertise fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, bloating or nausea, particularly throughout menstrual intervals.
How is endometriosis recognized?
Endometriosis shares signs with many different circumstances, so it may take some time to get a prognosis. In reality, it typically takes 7-12 years from the onset of signs to a prognosis. Usually, signs ultimately result in a prognosis, however round 20%-25% of ladies could also be asymptomatic and are solely recognized throughout a pelvic examination or ultrasound. Typically a prognosis is made upon sight throughout a cesarean part, and a definitive prognosis may be made with a laparoscopy, a process the place a surgeon makes use of a small scope to search for endometrial tissue outdoors the uterus or on the uterus and different pelvic organs.
What are the chance elements for endometriosis?Â
If you happen to began your interval earlier than age 11, have a menstrual cycle that is shorter than 27 days or a heavy menstrual stream that’s longer than every week, you’re at increased threat for endometriosis. Moreover, there’s some proof that exhibits ladies are at better threat of creating the situation if an in depth member of the family (mom, sister, aunt or cousin) has it. Moreover, analysis suggests that girls with endometriosis usually tend to have a peak better than 68 inches and to have a decrease BMI.
What are the therapy choices for endometriosis?
The primary line of therapy is painkillers, equivalent to acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDS), and hormonal contraception or progestin alone. Subsequent comes long-term hormone remedy, which might scale back ache and sluggish the expansion of endometrial implants. Surgical procedure can be carried out to take away endometrial implants, which might scale back ache, however the implants can develop again. Laparoscopic surgical procedure is taken into account the gold normal on the subject of surgical therapy for endometriosis.
Different surgical procedures embrace slicing pelvic nerves to scale back ache. If endometriosis worsens, an oophorectomy — a process that removes the ovaries — or a hysterectomy could also be carried out: Each procedures have additionally been proven to attenuate or remove ache related to endometriosis.
What different well being circumstances are associated to endometriosis or can develop because of endometriosis?
Related circumstances embrace:
- fibromyalgia
- interstitial cystitis, a persistent bladder situation
- TMJ, a situation that causes the jaw to lock
- inflammatory bowel illness
- migraine
Endometriosis may additionally be related to an elevated threat of getting sure cancers, together with:
- ovarian most cancers
- endometrial most cancers, a sort of most cancers that begins within the uterus
- non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a most cancers that begins within the physique’s lymphatic system
- melanoma, a sort of pores and skin most cancers
How can endometriosis have an effect on a lady’s fertility?
Some ladies with endometriosis can conceive and carry a child to time period. In reality, generally endometriosis is recognized visually throughout a cesarean part. In different instances, the tissue discovered outdoors the uterus, referred to as endometrial implants, causes irritation, which might trigger infertility or fertility issues. When implants connect to the fallopian tubes, they will result in a delayed egg launch and have an effect on the physique’s potential to switch sperm to the launched egg. In ladies with endometriosis-associated infertility, laparoscopic surgical procedure and in vitro fertilization (IVF) can result in improved being pregnant charges.
How can ladies enhance their endometriosis signs?
Oral contraceptives can scale back the ache of endometriosis and forestall the endometrial cells from shedding and inflicting irritation, limiting the expansion of endometrial implants.
What are some different therapies or life-style modifications ladies could make to assist relieve signs of endometriosis?Â
The Nationwide Institutes of Well being doesn’t record any different therapies for endometriosis, however a 2018 research confirmed that acupuncture, yoga, train and electrotherapy might assist relieve endometriosis-related ache.
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