What is endometriosis?
The inside of the uterus is lined with a mucous membrane. Sometimes pieces of this lining accidentally outside the womb. They embed themselves in other parts of the body. For example in the abdominal cavity, in the ovaries or in other organs in the abdominal cavity. This is called endometriosis disease.
The lining in the uterus grows every month. The body emits the lining during menstruation. It comes with blood out.
With the pieces lining outside the uterus are the same thing happens. They grow every month to be broken off. Only can they not go out. Thereby they can damage the tissue to which they are attached. So emerged under more adhesions.
There are several studies to determine whether you have endometriosis, like an echo, a blood test or a keyhole surgery. Only the keyhole surgery gives 100% certainty whether or not you have endometriosis.
What are the signs and symptoms of endometriosis?
Women's symptoms may have endometriosis, but not necessarily. Some women do not even know they have endometriosis. Which complains of a woman, also depends on where the endometriosis is.
Which complaints occur?
- abdominal pain;
- a lot of blood loss;
- irregular bleeding;
- pain during intercourse;
- lower back pain;
- swollen belly;
- constipation;
- diarrhea;
- blood in the stool;
- painful urination and many urge to urinate;
- blood accumulation in the ovaries. There arise cavities (cysts) which are filled with blood. Because old blood is similar to chocolate, this chocolate cysts can be mentioned. The medical term endometriomas. Sometimes an endometrioma ruptures or is leaking. You will then suddenly a sharp pain in the lower abdomen;
- severe endometriosis with adhesions. You may be less fertile or infertile;
- insomnia;
- fatigue and a lethargic feeling;
- depression. If these symptoms are very serious, we speak of premenstrual syndrome.
If menopausal women come menstruation stops. Therefore grow the pieces lining outside the uterus anymore. The complaints will then terminates automatically.
How do you get endometriosis?
Causes of endometriosis.
How endometriosis occurs is not exactly known. In fact, many women during menstruation some blood and mucous membrane tissue in the abdominal cavity. However, not all women get endometriosis. Therefore there are other factors that come into play. We call here a few possible causes:
- A disturbance in the immune system or hormonal system.
- Cells of the uterine lining are through the lymph job in other parts of your body.
- Heredity. If your mother or sister has endometriosis, you have more chance.
- You are longer and more often had a period. For example, if you had a period was at a young age and only let in the transition. Or because you have a short menstrual cycle (less than 4 weeks), giving you more often had any period.
- Environmental factors. For example, chemical waste that ended up in nature cause endometriosis. This waste we get in through the air we breathe or via the power supply. This, however, so far only from animal testing. Or environmental pollution in people has the same effect, is still unclear.
What is the treatment for endometriosis?
Endometriosis is not curable. There is something to the complaints. Treatment may consist of:
Medications (pain killers and/or hormones)
If you mainly suffering from abdominal pain will give you painkillers. NSAIDs help many women well. As painkillers work, there are still not enough hormone pills. A known hormone is the pill. With the pill is pregnancy. You will no longer have my period. The uterine lining becomes thereby not always constructed and repelled. For example, you can use the pill continuously swallowing, so without stop week. There are also hormones making you temporarily in the transition. You will then hear the complaints, however, at the transition.
Keyhole surgery or surgery via the abdominal wall
If medicines do not help is sometimes need surgery. During keyhole surgery the doctor can remove small endometriosis spots. This is done by heating or with laser beams. For severe endometriosis with Adhesions the doctor must operate through the abdominal wall. This surgery is called laparotomy. During the operation she tries, as much as possible of the endometriosis and adhesions. Sometimes the doctor also part of an ovary or a whole ovary removal.
A removal of the ovaries and/or uterus
There are women who after a treatment with medications and surgery still keep complaints. In that case it may be better to remove both ovaries. Sometimes it is also necessary to the uterus. This only happens if there is no other solution. Women whose ovaries are removed in the transition.