Endometriosis Treatment

Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disease that is caused by endometrial cells that develop outside of the uterus, causing pelvic pain and inflammation

. Endometriosis may lead to infertility, as scar tissue and adhesions can form in the fallopian tubes, around the ovaries, and in the uterus. Adhesions and scar tissue that form in the pelvic lining, the bladder, the bowel, the cervix, and the vagina are less common but still problematic when they do occur in these locations.

Of the roughly five million women in the United States that suffer from endometriosis, most do not realize they have this condition until the pain starts or they cannot get pregnant. A woman can be diagnosed with endometriosis in her thirties when infertility has caused her to seek medical treatment, only to learn that she has had this disease since her late teens. Sometimes endometriosis progresses without symptoms, causing the woman to go on about her business without medical intervention. Other times the pelvic pain is so severe that a woman cannot get out of bed during her menstrual cycle, which forces her to see a doctor.

Although endometriosis can affect various organs, it is most problematic when the ovaries are involved. Once endometriosis takes over the ovaries, the chances of more widespread disease increase substantially. In other words, if the ovaries are affected, the chances are as high as 98.9 percent that other organs will be affected by endometriosis. It is imperative that a woman who gets diagnosed with endometriosis of the ovaries insists on further testing to check for scar tissue and adhesions elsewhere in the body.

Endometriosis Treatment Can Help Ease the Pain

Symptoms associated with endometriosis include: pelvic tenderness, heavy periods, chronic fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, premenstrual spotting, extremely painful periods, painful bowel movements

during menstruation, lowered resistance to infection, and repeated miscarriages. If you experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms, it is wise to consult with your doctor immediately to get a medical diagnosis. Many women also experience painful intercourse when they are suffering from endometriosis, but they are too embarrassed to mention this to their doctor. Always tell your doctor when you have pain, as he or she may not otherwise know to test you for endometriosis.
Fortunately, there are treatment options when it comes to managing this chronic condition. Depending on the severity of your case and/or the amount of pain you are experiencing each month, your doctor may recommend surgey in conjunction with prescription medications. A combination of the two may be able to eliminate or reduce the scar tissue and adhesions that form over time with endometriosis.

Pain medication can be over-the-counter or prescription, depending on the severity of the pain you experience each month. Some doctors prescribe birth control pills or gonadtrophin releasing hormone agonists (GnRH), which block the production of estrogen, thereby reducing inflammation and pain associated with this disease. If surgery is necessary, GnRH agonists are often prescribed beforehand to reduce the inflammation that in turn will make the surgery easier to perform.

Surgery and Endometriosis

Surgery is often the end result when a woman has chronic endometriosis that is causing her extreme pain and the inability to become pregnant. Laproscopic ablation is a procedure that removes the top layer of the tissue in the affected areas. Laparoscopic excision is the cutting and removal of local areas of endometriosis. The UPLIFT procedure involves repositioning the uterus that has been moved due to endometrial adhesions and scar tissue. Other surgeries involve severing the nerves that run to the uterus or the pelvic region to eliminate severe pain caused by endometriosis.

In extreme cases, a hysterectomy is recommended. The uterus, ovaries, and all growths are removed, however this does not always eliminate the problem if other organs are affected. Endometriosis is a disease that not only affects a woman physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. It is important that a woman with endometriosis receives medical help as well as emotional support to deal with this chronic and progressive disease.