Well, you’re not alone. For a long time, the medical industry trivialised the pain felt by women during their periods. It has only been recently that they drew attention to the severity of pain experienced by those affected by Endometriosis. Even now, it’s still pretty difficult to diagnose and is still undermined.
So, if Endometriosis is difficult to diagnose, is it just as difficult to treat? Stick around to find out.
What is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis has been the secret affliction that has affected women for generations, and yet it is still a relatively new concept for most. For instance, the study of Endometriosis in France was only added to their medical training curriculum in 2019. The disease itself was also only recognised in the 1920s.
Why is Endometriosis only now being recognised? For years, it has been passed off as “just severe menstrual cramps”. This condition mimics how the lining of the uterus is built up, but instead of growing inside the uterus, the cells grow outside of the uterus. As a result, this can cause the woman a lot of pain and even impede her ability to get pregnant or even enjoy sex. In many cases, women have described the pain as if they had barbed wire wrapped around their waist, and it’s constantly tightening.
What are the symptoms of Endometriosis?
The first sign that would indicate the possibility of Endometriosis is consistent and unwavering pain in your abdominal area, especially during periods. Many women who’ve struggled with Endometriosis have described the pain as a sharp, stabbing sensation. There are some cases, however, where women have Endometriosis but no symptoms. Here are some common symptoms of Endometriosis:
- Severe menstrual pain
- Pain during or after sex
- Pain when urinating
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Heavy bleeding during periods or between periods
- Difficulty getting pregnant
- Bloating or nausea
- Fatigue
- Depression or anxiety
What causes Endometriosis?
Unfortunately, Endometriosis is what we refer to as an idiopathic condition, so the cause of this condition is still unknown. Some doctors speculate that the disease is genetic, while others suggest it's progressive; either way, the answer is inconclusive.
It’s a complex disease that women struggle with globally. Starting from their first period and ending when they start menopause. Endometriosis has the ability to completely derail a woman's life. Doctors have only been able to speculate the causes of Endometriosis at this stage. Here are some of their thoughts:
- Retrograde menstruation - occurs when menstrual blood flows backward through the fallopian tubes into the pelvic area instead of leaving the body. This can cause cells similar to those in the uterus to grow outside the uterus.
- Cellular metaplasia - is when cells change into these uterine-like cells outside the uterus and start growing. Stem cells can also cause the disease to spread through blood and lymph vessels.
Can Endometriosis be prevented?
Considering that diagnosing Endometriosis is a difficult thing to do, preventing it is almost impossible, at least for the moment. The disease is progressive, meaning it’ll naturally worsen over time. However, studies have shown that an early diagnosis can slow or stop it’s natural progression, which seems to be the only solution currently. Unfortunately, there is no cure yet.
How do doctors diagnose Endometriosis?
Usually, doctors will take a look at your menstrual symptoms and any consistent pelvic pain, which might lead you to suspect the issue is Endometriosis. To get a conclusive diagnosis, they’d have to run several tests first.
A quantitative MRI scan is incredibly helpful when ruling out obstructions and other issues. The most definitive way to diagnose Endometriosis is through Laparoscopic surgery, where the surgeon will make a small incision and take a biopsy to make sure that there is really endometrial tissue outside of the uterus.
How is Endometriosis treated?
As of yet, there is no cure for Endometriosis, the only solution doctors have is to treat it symptomatically. These treatments will also vary depending on the desired result of the patient. For example, if they want to fall pregnant, then they’ll likely go through fertility-related treatments.
In most cases, basic pain medication will be prescribed to help patients manage the pain. Hormonal treatments might also be given to them, like GnRH analogues or contraceptives, to ease the symptoms.
Laparoscopic surgery is currently the only solution to removing lesions, adhesions, and scar tissues to reduce the effects of Endometriosis.
Final Thoughts
Endometriosis is still a relatively new disease, which is why a successful solution to dealing with it just yet isn't available. But trust us, as medical technology increases and more research is done, there may have a cure sooner than you think.