The endometriosis is a disease that affects 10% of women in their childbearing years, still higher than the percentage of women with endometriosis when infertile reaching up to 35%.
Endometriosis can be developed from the first menstruation however it is often not diagnosed until the 25 or 35 years. This disease also affects women during menopause.
The endometrium is the tissue lining the inner layer of the uterus, and endometriosis is generated when this lining grows in other areas of the body. When growing outside the uterus can be located in the muscle layer of the uterus, the fallopian tubes and ovaries.
Grows forming plates and depending on the size is called with different names, when they are young are called implants, when they are older are called nodules and when they form cysts in the ovaries is known as endometrioma.
This tissue can also attach to other parts of the body like, intestines, ovaries, rectum, bladder, and pelvic area.
The most common symptom to suspect that suffers from this disease is pain, which usually occurs days before menstruation and continued pain even for the duration of menstruation.
Other symptoms associated with this disease
- Abundant menstruation.
- Clots in menstruation.
- Bleeding between periods.
- Very painful menstrual cramps.
- Pain in the lower abdomen before menstruation and during menstruation.
- Pain during sex or after sex.
- Nausea, vomiting.
- Intestinal pain.
- Difficulty to evacuate, painful bowel movements.
- Painful urination during menstruation.
- Fertility problems.
The reasons why this disease occurs are not yet known.
Both investigations and studies that have been carried out about this disease agree highlight that the immune system of women could be one of the causes, when the immune system of women cannot properly eliminate menstrual flow into the pelvic cavity.
In addition to the immune system there are other possible causes that may predispose to suffer from endometriosis as those that follow:
- Heredity factor (mother or sister with endometriosis).
- Endocrine disease.
- Not having children.
- Long menstrual periods that last longer than a week.
- First menstruation at an early age.
- Consumption of some medications.
- Overweight.
- Unhealthy eating habits.
- Consumption of toxic elements.
And endometriosis in some women gives them a lot of pain, other women suffering from endometriosis without manifest any symptoms.
It is important to remember that women should have a gynecological examination once a year to make sure everything goes well. Once the review done and could have suspected that suffer from endometriosis your doctor may perform the following tests to detect or rule out the disease.
The diagnosis of endometriosis
As many medical specialists think, the diagnosis of the endometriosis tends to take 7 years of average. In what it refers to the proper diagnosis, the tests in addition to a physical examination consist of:
- Abdominal ultrasound.
- Transvaginal ultrasound.
- Pelvic laparoscopy.
Other special diagnostic techniques:
- CAT (computerized axial tomography).
- NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance).
Once diagnosed the disease treatments will depend on the severity of symptoms, as well as the woman’s age, the severity of endometriosis, if desired or not have children.
In the case of women who have mild symptoms in general the treatment is to calm the pain, but in more severe cases of endometriosis in suffering severe pain, there are occasions in which surgery is required.