What are the symptoms of
endometrosis and what is it exactly?
Chronic pelvic pain
Pain during periods
Poinful sexual encounters
Ongoing fatigue
Extensive allergies
Difficulty becoming pregnant
Many women suffer from pain each month. Doctor's are now learning these are more than just complaints but a serious disorder, the invisible cause of so much suffering.
Endometriosis, is a chronic and puzzling condition in which cells from the lining of a woman's uterus, or endometrium, also grow elsewhere in the pelvic area, causing pain, cysts, even blockages. An estimated six million women and girls suffer from the condition, which is believed to be the leading cause of infertility and accounts for many unwanted hysterectomies. Endometrosis is a a chronic and puzzling condition in which in which cells from the lining of a woman's uterus, or endometrium, also grow elsewhere in the pelvic area, causing pain, cysts, even blockages. An estimated six million women and girls suffer from the condition, which is believed to be the leading cause of infertility and accounts for many unwanted hysterectomies.
The condition has been so overlooked as a research area that a recent article in Forbes magazine noted the theories about what causes the condition have hardly been updated in 80 years.
A recent survey by the Endometrosis Association discovered ( of 4.000 women participating) two thirds of these women began suffering symptoms before the age of 20. 96% of the women surveyed suffered strong pain and yet it took their Doctor's approximately five years to come up with the diagnosis.
SYMPTOMSSome of the symptoms (severe pain, bowel problems, headaches and joint aches) have suggested to that the disease may be an immune system disorder (yet another theory) and I was one of those women diagnosed prior to advances in research. Hysterectomy is frequently the physicians solution.
The most important thing every woman can do for herself is seek knowledge and information. Talk with other women who have it. Search our health-care professionals that listen and respect you and your point of view. Those who are genuinely concerned with your needs. The mental battle can be the most difficult. It is critical for your own well being to seek assistance.
TREATMENTSThere are many treatments available for the condition (which is confirmed by a laparoscopy), but the trick is finding the one that works for you. Surgery can remove some of the tissue, but it could grow back. Medications help quell the pain, and various hormone treatments might put the condition into remission for awhile.
The disease's cause is still unclear. One theory suggests that environmental toxins such as dioxin and PCBs cause the condition. Another is that during menstruation, some of the menstrual tissue backs up through the fallopian tubes, implants in the abdomen and grows.
Provides excellent information on endometrosis and it's links to other disorders. (i.e., chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis.
One thing is abundantly clear. Unless women join forces and demand further reasearch,
this condition will continue to bring pain and suffering to millons of women.
Contact your congressman or woman today.
Together we can make a difference.
Endometrioid cystAn endometrioma, endometrioid cyst, endometrial cyst, or chocolate cyst is caused by endometriosis, and formed when a tiny patch of endometrial tissue (the mucous membrane that makes up the inner layer of the uterine wall) bleeds, sloughs off, becomes transplanted, and grows and enlarges inside the ovaries. As the blood builds up over months and years, it turns brown. When it ruptures, the material spills over into the pelvis and onto the surface of the uterus, bladder, bowel, and the corresponding spaces between. Treatment for endometriosis can be medical or surgical. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are frequently used first in patients with pelvic pain, particularly if the diagnosis of endometriosis has not been definitively established. The goal of directed medical treatment is to achieve an anovulatory state. Typically, this is achieved initially using hormonal contraception. This can also be accomplished with progestational agents (i.e., medroxyprogesterone), danazol, gestrinone, or gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRH), as well as other less well-known agents. These agents are generally used if oral contraceptives and NSAIDs are ineffective. GnRH can be combined with estrogen and progestogen (add-back therapy) without loss of efficacy but with fewer hypoestrogenic symptoms. Laparoscopic surgical approaches include ablation of implants, lysis of adhesions, removal of endometriomas, uterosacral nerve ablation, and presacral neurectomy. They frequently require surgical removal. Conservative surgery can be performed to preserve fertility in young patients. Laparoscopic surgery provides pain relief and improved fertility over diagnostic laparoscopy without surgery. Definitive surgery is a hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy.
TreatmentAbout 95% of ovarian cysts are benign, meaning they are not cancerous.[citation needed]
Treatment for cysts depends on the size of the cyst and symptoms. For small, asymptomatic cysts, the wait and see approach with regular check-ups will most likely be recommended.
Pain caused by ovarian cysts may be treated with:
* pain relievers, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), acetaminophen (Tylenol), or narcotic pain medicine (by prescription) may help reduce pelvic pain. NSAIDs usually work best when taken at the first signs of the pain.
* a warm bath, or heating pad, or hot water bottle applied to the lower abdomen near the ovaries can relax tense muscles and relieve cramping, lessen discomfort, and stimulate circulation and healing in the ovaries. Bags of ice covered with towels can be used alternately as cold treatments to increase local circulation.
* chamomile herbal tea (Matricaria recutita) can reduce ovarian cyst pain and soothe tense muscles.
* urinating as soon as the urge presents itself.
* avoiding constipation, which does not cause ovarian cysts but may further increase pelvic discomfort.
* in diet, eliminating caffeine and alcohol, reducing sugars, increasing foods rich in vitamin A and carotenoids (e.g., carrots, tomatoes, and salad greens) and B vitamins (e.g., whole grains).
* combined methods of hormonal contraception such as the combined oral contraceptive pill -- the hormones in the pills may regulate the menstrual cycle, prevent the formation of follicles that can turn into cysts, and possibly shrink an existing cyst. (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 1999c; Mayo Clinic, 2002e)
Also, limiting strenuous activity may reduce the risk of cyst rupture or torsion.
Cysts that persist beyond two or three menstrual cycles, or occur in post-menopausal women, may indicate more serious disease and should be investigated through ultrasonography and laparoscopy, especially in cases where family members have had ovarian cancer. Such cysts may require surgical biopsy. Additionally, a blood test may be taken before surgery to check for elevated CA-125, a tumor marker, which is often found in increased levels in ovarian cancer, although it can also be elevated by other conditions resulting in a large number of false positives.
For more serious cases where cysts are large and persisting, doctors may suggest surgery. Some surgeries can be performed to successfully remove the cyst(s) without hurting the ovaries, while others may require removal of one or both ovaries.
