Endometriosis is a common medical phenomenon in 1% - 2% of women of fertile age in most cases.
All you need to know about endometriosis is here
Endometriosis
It is a pathological condition that affects the female reproductive system, which is the growth of tissue similar to the tissue that lines the uterus from the inside, i.e. the lining of the uterus in areas outside the uterus. The prevalence of this disease in women is approximately 1% - 2% and about 75% of cases of this disease appear at the age of 25 - 45 years old.
The most common areas where points of endometrial tissue can be found are the ovaries, in about 50% of cases, then the fallopian tubes, and the tissues lining the pelvis. But less commonly, these centers can also be in the abdomen, and may even reach the lungs, navel and lining of the nose, and may leave scars after a C-section.
What are the symptoms of endometriosis?
Symptoms of endometriosis include
Infertility in 30-40% of women with endometriosis. In infertile women, the most obvious cause is endometriosis, about 15 to 25%.
Ovulation problems.
Dysmenorrhea and pain during menstruation This menstrual pain can be so strong that it causes weakness.
Dyspareunia and pain during intercourse.
Chronic pelvic pain.
lower back pain.
Pain during urination or defecation, especially during menstrual periods.
What are the causes of endometriosis?
Although the main causes related to the appearance of endometriosis are uncertain, there are some possible explanations, including:
1. Retrograde menstruation
In this case, menstrual blood, which contains parts of the endometrium, flows through the fallopian tubes into the pelvic cavity rather than out of the body.
These tissues stick to the wall of the menstrual cavity and to the surfaces of the organs in the pelvis as they grow, thicken, and bleed over the course of each menstrual cycle.
2. Transformation of peritoneal cells
It is a theory in which experts propose that the cells lining the inner side of the abdomen turn into cells similar to the cells of the endometrium.
3. Surgical scar implantation
After pelvic surgery, such as a hysterectomy or caesarean section, endometrial cells attach to the anal fissure.
4. Endometrial cell transport
Where blood vessels or lymphatic fluid transport cells from the lining of the uterus to other parts of the body.
5. Immune system disorder
A problem with the immune system''s function leads to the body''s inability to distinguish and destroy endometrial tissue that grows outside the uterus.
Diagnosis of endometriosis
The suspicion that a woman has endometriosis arises on the basis of her clinical symptoms. Women with a family background are referred to diagnostic tests and early follow-up more often than other women. In such a situation, the diagnosis is made early, unlike in other cases where the diagnosis is made very late.
It is very common today that a very long period may pass between the appearance of symptoms and the confirmation of the diagnosis and the provision of treatment, lasting between 8 to 10 years.
At the next stage, the doctor performs an ultrasound examination, by which these centers are often not detected, and therefore the absence of positive results in this examination does not completely rule out the presence of this disease.
The only way to definitively and definitively diagnose endometriosis is by taking a biopsy from suspicious centers through laparoscopy and examining the sample in the laboratory.
What is the treatment for endometriosis?
There are surgical and pharmacological methods that can greatly reduce the symptoms of the disease. Treatment is determined according to different conditions and benefits such as the woman''s age, disease severity, and others. The explanation is as follows:
1. Pain relievers
Your doctor recommends taking over-the-counter pain relievers such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that help relieve symptoms associated with endometriosis.
2. Hormone therapy
Which helps reduce the amount of estrogen that the body secretes, thus stopping the menstrual cycle and bleeding caused by endometriosis.
Hormone therapy includes birth control pills, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) agonists and progesterone-only contraceptives.
3. Surgery
Where surgery is performed to remove as much of the affected cells as possible, and in some severe cases, the doctor may have to perform surgery to remove the uterus, ovaries, and cervix.
Additional information about endometriosis
Endometrial tissue responds to hormones. Changes in the secretion of hormones occur in a woman''s body during the menstrual cycle. The uterine lining bleeds during menstruation in response to these changes in hormones, and parts of the uterine lining that are not in its normal place respond to these changes, as well.
Thus, internal bleeding occurs, and there is no place to drain it. These centers can local inflammation, and may progress to the formation of abscesses. If the focus is in the ovary, this may form a tumor called an endometrioma.
