Endometriosis is also known as “endo”. It’s the cause of extremely painful periods in many women. During a woman’s menstrual cycle, she develops a blood-rich lining inside of her uterus. If one of her eggs is not fertilized (i.e., if she doesn’t get pregnant), the uterine lining sheds over the course of about 3-7 days. This is what we call a “period”. In women with endometriosis, though, a few things can go wrong during this cycle, leading to persistent abdominal pain.
We’ll get into the specific causes of this disorder below, but in short, endometriosis happens when the blood-rich lining grows somewhere outside of the uterus. As you could imagine, having loose blood swirling around in your pelvic region (where it’s not supposed to be) can feel extremely painful. Luckily, there are a few things that endometriosis sufferers can do. Below, we’ll discuss the specific causes, symptoms, and treatments of this uterine disorder.
Causes of Endometriosis
Although it’s still unknown exactly what causes endometriosis, doctors have identified the cause behind endometriosis sufferer’s extreme menstrual pain. In women without endometriosis, the bloody uterine lining grows inside the uterus, then sheds during her period (about once a month).
In those with endometriosis, however, the uterine lining (known as the endometrium) develops outside of the uterus: usually, in these women, it grows inside of the ovaries and fallopian tubes, often leaking out into the pelvic cavity. Then, when the hormones signal the woman’s body to shed that endometrium, the tissue that has grown inside the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and inside of the pelvic cavity has nowhere to go. This causes swelling and pain.
Again, doctors haven’t identified a specific cause of this painful disorder, but some believe that genetics may play a role. It seems that if your mom or sister suffers from endometriosis, you may be more likely to experience it, too.
Symptoms of Endometriosis
If you experience extremely painful menstrual cramps, there’s a chance you could have endometriosis. Likewise, excessive back cramps during menstruation can point to endometriosis.
Pay attention to your period, as well. Is your period abnormal or irregular– i.e., does there seem to be no regular pattern to when your period arrives? Your period should come every 28-35 days. If you regularly have more or less time between cycles, you may need to get checked for endometriosis. An abnormally heavy flow can be a symptom of endometriosis, too.
If you have endometriosis, you may also experience infertility. Have you been trying to get pregnant for what seems like forever with no luck? Endometriosis may be behind your unfortunate circumstances.
Some other endometriosis symptoms can include pain during urination and sex, diarrhea, constipation, and nausea.
Treating Endometriosis
Sadly, endometriosis has no cure, but there is still hope for those who suffer from it. Firstly, your doctor may recommend over-the-counter painkillers to help with endometriosis’s extreme menstrual cramps or intestinal pain.
There are a few other pain treatments that you can use at home, too; these include using a heating pad on your stomach, taking warm baths, or exercising to relieve the pain.
Some women need to undergo hormonal therapy to treat endometriosis. This lowers the amount of some female hormones in your body, which causes your uterus to produce less endometrium, thus lessening the pain. This can look like taking hormonal birth control, in the form of a pill or patch, for example.
Finally, if none of the above treatments work, surgery may be necessary. Doctors may recommend surgery which removes excess tissue that has become trapped in the pelvic cavity. In extreme cases, you may opt to have a hysterectomy, which means to have your uterus and ovaries removed– but you can’t get pregnant again if you choose this surgery.