Pelvic Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a common disease (there are more than 1 million cases in the U.S. alone), which can affect any woman of childbearing age, since the first menstruation or menarche to menopause, but sometimes lasts until after the menopause.

The disease impairs quality of life of women with the disease, their relationships, family and even work. His symptoms characterizing mainly by what is known as the three Ds: Dysmenorrheal,
dyspareunia (painful intercourse) and more commonly, pelvic pain, especially in the lower abdomen, in the lower back and pelvis itself. There may also be hyper menorrhea or very abundant menstrual bleeding and even inter-menstrual.

For these women at once becomes difficult or impossible to become pregnant, and often have intestinal disorders including diarrhea, constipation, painful bowel movements or cramps. And feel tired.

Achieving determine the diagnosis for endometriosis is difficult, hence the need to perform one or more tests, including a pelvic ultrasound or MRI. Laparoscopy may be necessary to review the bodies inside and view any or entopic endometrial tissue outside the uterus. Laparoscopy shows the location and extent of endometrial lesions, which are then biopsies.

There is evidence that women with this disease are more likely than other women to suffer immune system disorders in which the body attacks its own tissues (autoimmune diseases) and that women with endometriosis are also more likely to suffer fatigue syndrome chronic fibromyalgia.

Endometriosis can not be cured by medicine. However, there are many treatments, each with advantages and disadvantages.

For women with mild symptoms may not need treatment other than pain medications or analgesics. According to doctors, if they wish to become pregnant (although it depends on the age and the amount of pain), the ideal is to maintain a test season (from 6 months to a year) having unprotected sex. If pregnancy does not occur, the chances are you need more treatment .Las they want no family can then be treated with hormones, which is effective when tumors are small. There are several options in this regard, including a combination of estrogen and progesterone, birth control pills, progesterone alone, and agonists of gonadotropin-releasing hormone.

Birth control pills control the growth of the endometrial and often decrease the amount of menstrual flow. These are contender two hormones, a progestin and an estrogen.

GnRH agonists (used daily nasal spray or injection applied as monthly or quarterly) prevent the body from making certain hormones to prevent menstruation. And without menstruation, the growth of endometriosis is reduced or halted. Side effects, however, are hot flashes, fatigue, insomnia, headache, depression, osteoporosis and vaginal dryness. Administration is recommended for about six months after that, resume menses and pregnancy could occur.

Usually, surgery is the best option for women with extensive endometriosis, or suffering great pain. Some are major and minor. With laparoscopy, for example, tumors are removed and the scar tissue or destroyed with intense heat and close the blood vessels without stitches. The idea is to treat the endometriosis without harming healthy tissue around it. Recovery is rapid.

The latest resources for treating the disease are laparoscopy, major surgery that removes the endometriosis, and hysterectomy, which can be removed the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes. That yes, undergoing surgical procedures can not guarantee that the disease does not recur or that the pain is removed completely.

It is normal for the patient with endometriosis at first feel emotions like sadness, fear, anger, confusion or loneliness, and above all, uncertainty. Therefore it is important to get support from your partner, family and friends and learn all you can about the disease. Sometimes groups are useful for treatment and support will be essential to do relaxation exercises, particularly during periods of acute pain.