Monday, April 19, 2010

Symptoms of endometriosis.

The most common symptom associated with endometriosis is pelvic pain, not unlike that of a woman's monthly period. These symptoms can vary among women with some women experiencing little to no pain and others experiencing severe pain.

There also doesn't appear to be a correlation between the amount of pain a woman experiences and the amount of endometriosis in her body. Women with large amounts of endometriosis may have few symptoms while those with small areas of endometriosis have severe pain.

The symptoms of endometriosis usually occur around the time of menstruation, but some women find that they have constant pain no matter the time of the month.

Another symptom of endometriosis is pain during or after sex. For many women this pain leads them to quit having sex and in some cases the pain can be so great that intercourse is impossible.

Dysmenorrhea Painful menstrual periods is a symptom of endometriosis in which a deep pain occurs in the lower abdomen and vagina. This condition does not affect all women with endometriosis though.

Endometriosis can become attached to non-reproductive organs as well. When this happens different symptoms can occur. If endometriosis attaches to the large intestine or bladder abdominal swelling can occur, along with painful bowel movements or painful urination. These woman can also experience bleeding from the rectum during menstruation and nausea or vomiting before their period.

Each month during a woman's cycle this endometrial tissue builds up a lining of blood and nutrients just like the tissue of the uterus. And every month during a woman's period this build up is shed. The blood and tissue shed from the endometrial cells has no place to go and remains in the abdomen causing inflammation and scar tissue. It is this inflammation and scar tissue that causes the pain and other symptoms of endometriosis.

Fatigue is also a symptom of endometriosis. The constant pain and discomfort combined with the bodies fight to rid itself of the menstrual fluid can and will cause exhaustion. As the endometriosis grows and expands it causes greater and greater fatigue. In fact women who suffer from endometriosis run a greater chance of getting chronic fatigue syndrome.

Symptoms can be severe while the endometriosis itself is mild. Mild symptoms can be present or even undetectable and endometriosis can be very advanced. The endometriosis symptoms you experience could have no correlation at all to the extent or severity of the endometriosis itself.

Endometriosis tissue is much like the lining of your uterus. It reacts hormonally the same as the uterine lining. It grows and sheds along with your menstrual cycle. It is widely believed that in some cases, when the uterine lining is shed, it does not leave the body as it is supposed to. Instead, it travels up the fallopian tubes and into the abdominal cavity. Here, it infests the reproductive organs, surrounding tissues and even the nearby organs.

Endometriosis is a progressive disease and can get worse over time. It can spread to the lower back, bowels, kidneys, lungs and other organs, inhibiting organ function. This is why it is particularly important to treat endometriosis even if you do not have infertility concerns.

Symptoms can be mild or severe. They include heavy, painful or irregular periods. Lower back pain and kidney problems are also not uncommon. Many women are not diagnosed with endometriosis until they experience infertility. Endometriosis is usually discovered during a diagnostic laparoscopic surgery while an infertility specialist is looking for infertility causes. A laparoscopic endometriosis treatment may be necessary to restore fertility. Laparoscopy is the only way to definitively diagnose endometriosis
. Other symptoms include menorrhagia or excessive bleeding, bleeding in between periods, pain during sexual intercourse or bowel movements. Endometriosis may also decrease fertility in women and is also more common in women who have had no children. Approximately 1 in 10 women suffer from endometriosis. What causes Endometriosis? Though there are no definitive theories one poasible explanation is that some of the menstrual products flow retrogradely through the uterus into the ovarian tubes and get seeded into the pelvic cavity. Another theory is that endometrial cells are transferred via the blood stream and can account for curious sites like the lungs! Some others postulate an immune mechanism for endometriosis. Traditional Chinese and Oriental medicine has a different understanding of endometriosis, an understanding that is very much in line with modern scientific basis for endometriosis. TCM classifies endometriosis as a liver disorder and believes that blood stagnation in the liver plays a major role in endometriosis. Recent data suggests that chronic exposure to environmental toxins like Dioxins can damage liver health and lead to endometriosis independently. Dioxins are difficult to avoid as they are found in large amounts in fish, meat and diary products. Other foodstuffs that damage liver health include refined foods, wheat flour, caffeine, fried foods, and ice-cold drinks also increase chances of endometriosis. Stress is another big enemy for the liver and in chinese medicine liver is considered to be the most emotionally sensitive organ in the body. Conventional drugs and medications can also lead to liver weakness and stagnation. Painkillers (NSAIDs) which are used often by women with endometriosis can lead to severe liver damage in the long run.

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