What is endometriosis?

To know what endometriosis is, it is desirable for every girl, since this pathology can cause monthly torment and even infertility.

The uterus is internally lined with an endometrium that undergoes cyclic changes associated with hormonal changes in the woman's body. It swells, grows in size and prepares to attach the egg, if pregnancy does not occur, this layer is rejected, causing bleeding (monthly).

What is endometriosis?

Normally, the endometrium is present only in the uterus, but it can get into other organs and attach where it is not necessary, for example, on the ovaries, in the tubes or in the abdominal cavity. Then the changes that are characteristic only for the uterus occur in other places, causing the appearance of blood and inflammation of the surrounding tissues. This condition is called endometriosis.

Statistics can not exactly tell how many women have this pathology. Some data say that half has endometriosis, but many people simply do not know about it. With the development of new diagnostic methods, the frequency of detectability began to increase.

Naturally, before the onset of puberty, girls with this disease are not familiar. The peak incidence falls on the age of 30-40 years. With the onset of menopause, all symptoms tend to fade.

Often there is an endometriosis of the cervix of the uterus, a predisposing background may be erosion, it is to this damaged surface that the endometrial cells can "settle". On the surface of the ovary, an endometrial cyst may appear. It is often found on routine examination. In most women, the condition lasts for years, and is defined as chronic endometriosis.

Causes of the disease

Until now, it is unclear what is the mechanism of development of this pathology. It is assumed that there is a genetic predisposition, hormonal factors, as well as the traumatic nature of endometriosis (abortion and pelvic surgery). It may also be that the blood retrograde falls into the abdominal cavity along with the cells of the endometrium, which then attach to the ovary. Predispose to the disease early onset of sexual activity, use of an intrauterine device, a violation of the immune system and metabolism.

Symptoms of the disease

The manifestation of the disease depends on which organ is affected. It is there that there is blood and inflammation of the surrounding tissues.

But the common symptoms can be considered:

• Violation of the menstrual cycle;
• Painful menstruation and the appearance of pain in the lower abdomen, in the back or lower back a few days before the menstrual period;
• Disruption of the bowels (constipation) and disruption of the bladder;
• Infertility is often associated with the presence of lesions on the ovaries;
• Irritability, depression, fatigue, sciatica.

Some women have experienced what is endometriosis of the intestine. At the same time there are spotting along with feces, which is why doctors suspect intestinal pathology.

And gynecologists with experience know what endometriosis of the lungs is. Occurring hemoptysis can be associated with tuberculosis, but a detailed examination will confirm the presence of endometrioid tissue in the lungs, where it should not be.

Diagnosis of the disease

The complexity of diagnosis is that the symptomatology of this pathology is quite extensive due to the diversity of localization of pathological foci.

Detect the foci of inflammation possible on ultrasound. But it is only possible to make a diagnosis after examination of the uterine cavity and all organs of the abdominal cavity with a laparoscopic method. After this, it will also be necessary to study the tissue of the pathological focus under a microscope.

Treatment of the disease

Medical measures can be conservative and operative.

Drugs can be prescribed if the endometriosis is asymptomatic, the lesions are inside the uterus and it is necessary to cure infertility in women who can still have children.

Of course, laparoscopic surgery is a radical method that can completely relieve pathological education .