ENDOMETRIOSIS: WHAT IT IS, WHAT ITS SYMPTOMS ARE AND HOW IT IS CURED

Endometriosis is a disease that can occur in the uterus and affects 15% of Spanish women of childbearing age. This condition could compromise women's fertility. Its diagnosis is usually somewhat late, hence it is known as "the silent disease."

We tell you about the Endometriosis: what it is, what its symptoms are and how this disease is treated.

What is endometriosis?

The endometrium (endo = inside, metrium = uterus) is the name given to the tissue that lines the inside of the uterus. Endometriosis is a disease in which this tissue grows out of it, as in the ovaries, intestines, rectum, bladder or the lining of the pelvic area. In very rare cases, it can grow in the lungs or other parts of the body.

In Babies and moreEndometriosis, the silent disease

The exact cause of endometriosis is unknown., although researchers have some theories about its origin. One of them is that part of the tissue that comes off during menstruation is returned through the fallopian tubes to the pelvis, and once there they are fixed and multiply.

Endometriosis is a common disease that can sometimes be inherited. It is usually diagnosed between 25 and 35 years of age and there are certain factors that make you more likely to have endometriosis:

If you have a sister or mother with this disease.
If you started your period at an early age.
If you have never had children.
If your menstrual cycles are short (less than 27 days).
If your period is abundant and lasts for seven days or more.
If you have a closed hymen, it blocks blood flow during the period.

Likewise, it has been found that there are certain factors that could reduce the risk of endometriosis:

Pregnancy.
That the menstruation begins already advanced the adolescence.
Do regular exercise for more than 4 hours a week.
Having low body fat

In Babies and more Endometriosis affects 15% of Spanish women of childbearing age

What are your symptoms

The main symptoms of endometriosis are pain and infertility. Other common symptoms of this disease are:

Painful menstrual cramps that get worse over time.
Pain during or after intercourse.
Pain in the intestine, lower abdomen or lower back.
Painful bowel movements or painful urination during the period.
Abundant periods
Small losses of blood before the period or between them.

In some cases, women may not have any symptoms. Having trouble getting pregnant could be a sign of the disease.

To detect and diagnose endometriosis safely with a pelvic laparoscopy, a less invasive procedure than surgery and fast recovery. During the laparoscopy the doctor makes a small cut and with an instrument observes the reproductive organs, intestines and other surfaces to see if there is endometriosis.

Other tests that can be done are those of imaging, which allow to locate the largest areas of endometriosis, as nodules or cysts. The most common exams are ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging.

How endometriosis is treated

There is currently no cure for endometriosis, however There are treatments that can help your main symptoms such as pain or infertility. The type of treatment indicated will depend on certain characteristics such as age, the severity of symptoms, the severity of the disease and whether or not you wish to have children in the future.

The treatments include pain medication, hormone therapy and surgery. The treatment should be chosen by doctor and patient, according to the characteristics mentioned above. What works for some woman may not work for others.

If you have any of the symptoms of endometriosis it is important that consult your doctor to perform the necessary tests and exams.