What is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis might sound Greek and Latin to many of us, but it is rather common with about 3 to 10 percent women suffering from this condition. By definition, Endometriosis is a disorder that occurs when the tissue that makes up the uterine lining is also present in other organs of your body. It is fairly common to see its occurrence in the lower abdomen or pelvis, but there’s really no guarantee it won’t appear in other parts of your body.

Generally, women who have Endometriosis complain of lower abdominal pain or excessive pain during periods. For some, the pain aggravates with sexual intercourse and causes some issues when it comes to pregnancy. Others might not have any symptoms at all.

Let’s take a closer look at its causes, symptoms and treatment:

Causes of Endometriosis

There is much discussion over why Endometriosis happens. It is believed that during a woman’s menstrual cycle, some blood and tissue from her uterus spills out of the uterus and travels through the fallopian tubes that lands into the abdominal area. The medical terminology for this is retrograde menstruation. In such a case, the displaced endometrial cells attach themselves to the walls of the pelvic region, where they continue to grow and thicken.
Apart from this, it could also be that some cells in the body, which are not part of the uterus, undergo some change to become similar to the cells that line the uterus. For others, it could happen when the cells that line the uterus travel through the blood vessels or lymphatic system and settle in other parts of the body.
It is not uncommon to suffer from Endometriosis after a caesarean surgery, because there are chances of these uterine cells spreading all through the body. Let’s take an example here: If a woman suffering from Endometriosis undergoes a C-section, the cells could attach themselves to the abdominal cavity. 
Lastly, it could also be due to a disorder of the immune system, wherein the body is unable to identify and destroy the endometrial tissue that’s growing outside the uterus. 

Symptoms of Endometriosis

The most common symptom is experiencing severe pain in the pelvic or lower abdominal region during menstruation. It is believed that the pain increases right before or during the cycle, but gradually improves. In a nutshell, it is cyclical in nature. Other symptoms may include pain with bowel movements, excessive bloating, constipation, fatigue, occasional blood in the urine or pain while urinating. In rare cases, there’s some abnormal vaginal bleeding. 

Endometriosis and Fertility

Studies suggest that about 20-40% women who suffer from infertility suffer from Endometriosis. This is because the condition distorts the fallopian tubes, which prevents it from picking up the egg after ovulation. Secondly, it causes inflammation that hinders the proper functioning of the ovary, fallopian tubes, uterus or egg. This is the biggest complication that arises out of Endometriosis and causes difficulty when it comes to pregnancy.

It isn’t a lost cause though, since women who have mild to moderate Endometriosis can still conceive. Some doctors advise Endometriosis-inflicted women not to delay their pregnancy, since it worsens with age.

Stages of Endometriosis

There are different stages of Endometriosis and these can be segregated into minimal, mild, moderate or severe. In most cases, patients fall under the first two segments. The severity of the condition is revealed during laparoscopy – a medical procedure to diagnose Endometriosis.

Stage I: Minimal Endometriosis is generally characterised by isolated implants and there are hardly any adhesions

Stage II: Mild Endometriosis is when there are superficial implants less than 5 cm but without significant adhesions

Stage III: Moderate Endometriosis

Stage IV: Severe Endometriosis is when there are multiple implants as well as significant scars around the tubes or ovaries, as well as thick adhesions.

Diagnosis of Endometriosis

In order to diagnose Endometriosis, a medical practitioner performs laparoscopy, wherein the abdomen is examined with a camera through the belly button. Thereafter, a sample is collected if the doctor suspects the condition. There are some patients who try to tackle this disorder with only medication, but it generally does not help. In most cases, a surgery becomes essential. It is said that the lesions caused during this surgery resemble ‘cigarette burns’ inside the abdomen. Endometrial cells can also be located within an ovary, which can lead to a cyst of Endometriosis. These are often called ‘chocolate cysts’, since the internal structure of the cyst looks like chocolate syrup.

Treatment of Endometriosis

To begin with, Endometriosis is tackled with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, like ibuprofen to control the pain associated with the disease. Some doctors suggest medications to regulate the woman’s hormones, including oral contraceptive pills. 

Surgery in such cases serves dual purposes – diagnosis and treatment. It helps to remove the lesions or burn them away, and also rids the scar tissue so that the ovaries and fallopian tubes go back to their normal position in the pelvic region.

In most cases, surgery does prove to be helpful and improves the chance of pregnancy. If a woman does not want to conceive, she could also get her ovaries and uterus removed. Besides, there are other medical procedures to help women improve their fertility and get pregnant.

Yoga and Endometriosis

As we all know, Yoga is a saviour when it comes to tackling the most severe diseases. Here too, yoga serves well in subsiding the symptoms associated with Endometriosis, especially the debilitating pain during menstruation or intercourse. It sometimes also helps in resolving fertility issues.
Breathing exercises reduce pain since deep exhalation relaxes the mind and body. In addition, reduced stress levels also improve fertility. It’s a win-win!
While Endometriosis might seem earth-shattering, it can be controlled with proper treatment and care. As we all now, there’s always light at the end of the tunnel!