What is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is painful disorder of the female reproductive system. One of the most common causes of pelvic pain and infertility in women is Endometriosis . Millions of women worldwide are affected with Endometriosis. Endometrium is the tissue that lines uterus and when these tissues lines outside of the uterus more often in the pelvic cavity or under the ovaries or behind the uterus or on the tissues that hold the uterus in place or on the bowels or bladder it is called as endometriosis. In very rare cases, endometriosis can grow in the lungs or other parts of the body. Monthly menstrual cycles are affected by endometriosis. When a woman has endometriosis, during her periods the outside growth of the uterus also bleeds but as there is no way for the blood to leave her body inflammation and scar tissue can build up.
Diagnosis of endometriosis :-
There are a number of tests which can be done for the Diagnosis of endometriosis.
Imaging tests : - Imaging tests allows a doctor to locate larger endometriosis areas by making a "picture" of the inside of the body. Ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the two most familiar imaging tests.
Ultra sound : - Ultra sound is a simple, painless scan in which sound waves are used to form a picture.
MRI : - In MRI machine uses magnets and radio waves to make the picture.
Laparoscopy: - laparoscopy is the only way to know if a woman has endometriosis without any doubt. X-ray and ultrasounds have their limitations in diagnosing but to get a clearer picture of the abdomen and pelvis laparoscopy is required. The laparoscope is a sterile surgical instrument with special optics which allows small amounts of light to be transmitted effectively. A small cut is made in or just below the belly-button laparoscope is then tenderly induced into the abdomen to view the clear picture of the abdomen and pelvic area. Laparoscopy helps doctor to make better treatment decisions as it shows the location, extent, and size of the growth clearly. Patient is given general anesthesia to perform laparoscopy
Symptoms of endometriosis .
- Heavy menstrual periods and painful urination during menstrual periods and painful periods.
- Extremely throbbing menstrual cramps which gets worsen over time.
- Pain during intercourse.
- Fatigue
- Problems when opening bowels
- Chronic Pelvic pain unrelated to periods or intercourse
- Pain in the Intestine.
- Premenstrual spotting or bleeding between periods.
- Infertility.
- Lethargy.
- Extreme tiredness.
- Symptoms of an irritable bowel like diarrhoea, constipation, colic.
Treatment for endometriosis:-
There is no cure as such for endometriosis. But there are few treatments to help relief the pain.
Medication for Pain – Only pain relieving medicines are given to some women with mild symptoms. If a woman with minimal endometriosis wants to become pregnant doctors give them a trial period of unguarded sex for six months to one year. If she is not able to get pregnancy in that time, then further treatment is given.
Treatment of hormones :- Hormone treatment is given to patients who do not wish to become pregnant but needs treatment. This Hormone treatment can be given in the form of pill or injection, or can be nasal spray. Several hormones are used for this treatment such as birth control pills, a progestin , Danocrine and GnRH agonists . Birth control pills are given to control the growth of the tissue that lines the uterus and often decrease the amount of menstrual flow. They usually contain two hormones, estrogen and progestin. Once a woman stops taking them, the ability to become pregnant returns and the symptoms of endometriosis also returns.
Surgery: - Surgery is given to women with severe or extensive endometriosis, or to those women who have severe pain. Surgeries can be both minor and major surgeries. Laparoscopy - Laparoscopy is a minor surgery. Laparoscopy is used for both diagnosing the disease and in surgery. Recovery from laparoscopy is much faster than for major surgery, like laparotomy.
Laparotomy – laparotomy is the major abdominal surgery in which your doctor either removes the endometrios or removes the uterus. The process of removing uterus is called hysterectomy. Laparotomy is the last option used for treatment of endometriosis your doctor may also remove the ovaries and fallopian tubes at the time of a hysterectomy. If the damage is severe or the ovaries have endometriosis on them surgery does not make certain that the disease will not come again or that the pain will go away for ever.
