Understanding Endometriosis: Causes, Types & Symptoms
Experiencing sharp pain in your pelvic region? A kind of pain that tends to get worse during your periods. Chances are you are facing a condition called ‘Endometriosis’. It’s a common chronic condition found in the reproductive organs of a woman.
Out of the many signs, endometriosis pain is one of the key characteristics that helps one identify this condition. It’s important to get it treated as early as possible to avoid any further problems. Thus, to help you understand this condition better, we’ve lined up the causes and signs of endometriosis along with a few home remedies for endometriosis.
What Is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a condition in which a tissue, just like the one that lines the uterus, begins to grow outside the uterus cavity. Typically, this tissue grows in the pelvis, ovaries, and in fallopian tubes. However, in rare cases, it can grow beyond the reproductive organs, in areas like the lungs, digestive tract and even around the heart.
This tissue mimics the action of regular uterine tissue during periods. It responds to the fluctuating hormones in the body. This indicates that it can grow, thicken, break, and bleed. Given that the tissue grows outside the lining, the tissue or the blood has no space to exit the body. This trapped blood or tissue can cause irritation in the surrounding regions of the organ. In addition, endometriosis can also lead to painful periods, scars, cysts and fertility problems.
Signs of Endometriosis
The signs and symptoms of endometriosis tend to vary from person to person. Some women might experience mild signs of endometriosis while others may have to deal with severe endometriosis pain. However, one must remember that the severity of the pain experienced in endometriosis doesn’t imply the severity of the condition. This means even though one notices severe pain in the pelvic region, she might still be in the first stage of endometriosis. On the other hand, a mild pain can also indicate severe endometriosis.
While pelvic pain is a major symptom, there are some other common signs of endometriosis to watch out for:
1. Painful periods
2. Heavy periods
3. Pain during intercourse
4. Pain during bowel movements or urinating
5. Lower back pain during periods
6. Difficulty in getting pregnant
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Causes of Endometriosis
The cause of endometriosis is still unknown. However, there are a few theories that have been circling around this issue. Some experts believe that it can be caused by retrograde menstruation, wherein the menstrual blood flows back into the pelvic cavity through the fallopian tubes instead of exiting the body. In some cases, genetics can also play a role.
Types of Endometriosis
Endometriosis is differentiated on the basis of the area in which the condition causes its effects:
1. Superficial peritoneal endometriosis:
The tissue attaches itself to the peritoneum, a tissue that lines the abdomen and pelvis.
2. Endometriomas:
In this case, varied sizes of dark, fluid-filled cysts appear in parts of your abdomen or pelvis region. However, they are predominantly found in the ovaries.
3. Deeply infiltrating endometriosis (DIE):
Here the endometrial tissue enters the organs within or outside the pelvic cavity.
4. Abdominal wall endometriosis:
In this type, the endometrial tissue grows on the abdominal wall.
Stages Of Endometriosis
There are many factors that dictate the stage of the condition. It includes the location, size, number and depth of endometrial implants. Overall, there are four stages of endometriosis and they are as follows:
Stage 1: Minimal
In this early stage, shallow endometrial implants or small wounds are found on the ovaries. Chances of inflammation in or around the pelvic cavity is also a possibility.
Stage 2: Mild
This stage is characterised by light lesions and implants in the pelvic and abdomen region.
Stage 3: Moderate
Moderate stage consists of more lesions and deeper implants on the ovaries and pelvic region.
Stage 4: Severe
At this stage, the implants on the pelvic lining and ovaries are much deeper. There’s a possibility of noticing lesions on your fallopian tubes. Additionally, cysts could be formed on one or both ovaries.
Endometriosis and pregnancy
Another aspect that one must be aware of is that endometriosis and pregnancy are linked to each other. As the endometriosis tissue keeps growing in the pelvic and abdominal region, it creates an obstacle in your reproductive organs. This makes it difficult for the sperm to reach the egg. Further, these tissues also have the potential to damage your reproductive organs.
Here are some scenarios where the acts of endometriosis affect your fertility:
Creates a hormonal imbalance
Prevents an embryo from implanting
Scars the fallopian tubes
Causes chronic inflammation in the pelvis
However, this doesn’t mean that women with endometriosis can’t get pregnant. Rather, the route to conceiving becomes challenging. Consult your doctor on the steps you can take if you are trying to conceive and suffer from endometriosis.
Endometriosis and Ovulation
Endometriosis can influence various aspects of a woman's reproductive health, including the process of ovulation. Women with endometriosis may experience specific challenges and symptoms related to this critical phase.
One notable aspect is the occurrence of endometriosis ovulation pain. Women with endometriosis may encounter heightened pain or discomfort during ovulation, a phenomenon often referred to as ovulation pain or mittelschmerz. This discomfort can range from mild to severe and may be felt on one side of the pelvis, where the ovary is releasing an egg.
The relationship between endometriosis and ovulation pain is complex. The abnormal growth of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus can cause inflammation and irritation in the pelvic region. As the body gears up for ovulation, the release of an egg may exacerbate this inflammation, contributing to increased discomfort for women with endometriosis.
Ovulation endometriosis may also manifest as pain during ovulation, impacting the overall experience of this phase in the menstrual cycle. The pain can be sharp or stabbing and may persist for a few hours to a couple of days. Understanding endometriosis and ovulation pain is crucial to manage symptoms associated with this condition.
Diagnosis of Endometriosis
While diagnosing endometriosis, your doctor would need information related to the severity of the pain, the location where its paining and the duration. Additionally, there are a few tests that your doctor would run, they are as follows:
1. Pelvic exam
2. Ultrasound
3. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
4. Laparoscopy
In some cases, endometriosis can be mistaken for conditions like pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), ovarian cysts or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). As these conditions also cause pelvic pain, the diagnosis can get a little complicated.
Treatment for Endometriosis
Currently, there’s no cure for endometriosis. However, you can consult a doctor and find ways to ease out the symptoms. Here are some of them:
- Hormonal treatment: May slow endometrial growth and ease the symptoms
- Pain medicines: Helps in easing out endometriosis period pain
- Surgery: It’s performed to remove the endometrial-like tissue
Home Remedies for Endometriosis
While your doctor helps you out with endometriosis pain relief, here’s what you can do at your end:
1. Apply heat
To relax your pelvic muscles and ease out the endometriosis pain, you can opt for warm baths or heating pads. It can effectively soothe and reduce cramping.
2. Turmeric
Turmeric being potent with anti-inflammatory properties is said to work as an endometriosis pain relief. You can consume turmeric in water with lemon, ginger and honey, after getting your doctor’s approval.
3. Pelvic massages
Massaging your pelvic region can help you ease the muscles and reduce inflammation.
Note that massages only help before periods. Doing them during periods can aggravate the endometriosis symptoms.
4. Add anti-inflammatory foods to your diet
Foods with anti-inflammatory properties can help you manage the symptoms in the long run. These foods include green leafy vegetables, celery, ginger, chia seeds and salmon. However, consult with your doctor before you make any changes in your diet.
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When To See Doctor
Here are some of the scenarios when you must visit a doctor immediately:
1. Pain in the pelvic region
2. Heavy or abnormal periods
3. Pain during intercourse
Takeaway
Dealing with the signs and symptoms of endometriosis can be a little tough. The best resort in such a situation is to visit a doctor and get yourself checked. As per the severity of your condition, the doctor would give you the right treatment. While you keep a close eye on your uterine health, it’s important to take care of your menstrual hygiene too. So, make sure to use the best tampons and sanitary pads.
Stay well prepared for your next period by tracking it on Always Period Calculator.
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