Endometriosis occurs when tissues that usually grow inside uterus instead grow on the outside. These tissues often grow on the surfaces of organs in the pelvis or abdomen, where they are not supposed to grow. It is the most common cause of pelvic pain and occurs in 20-25% of women with infertility, and is commonly diagnosed in at least 15% of all women of reproductive age.
In African-American women, endometriosis is one of the most common indications for major gynaecological surgery and hysterectomy, and is associated with long hospital stay and high hospital charges. There is also some evidence that endometriosis is more commonly found in African-American patients from private practice than in African-American patients treated in public hospitals.
Black women are only half as likely to be diagnosed with Endometriosis as white women.
Resilient Sisterhood Project says that Black women are often misdiagnosed with Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) and 40% of the time, it is actually Endometriosis.
The exact cause of endometriosis is unknown. Endometriosis may result from something called “retrograde menstrual flow,” in which some of the tissue that a woman sheds during her period flows into her pelvis. While most women who get their periods have some retrograde menstrual flow, not all of these women have endometriosis. Researchers are trying to uncover what other factors might cause the tissue to grow in some women, but not in others.
Another theory about the cause of endometriosis involves genes. This disease could be inherited, or it could result from genetic errors, making some women more likely than others to develop the condition. If researchers can find a specific gene or genes related to endometriosis in some women, genetic testing might allow health care providers to detect endometriosis much earlier, or even prevent it from happening at all.
Researchers are exploring other possible causes, as well. Estrogen, a hormone involved in the female reproductive cycle, appears to promote the growth of endometriosis. Therefore, some research is looking into endometriosis as a disease of the endocrine system, the body’s system of glands, hormones, and other secretions. Or, it may be that a woman’s immune system does not remove the menstrual fluid in the pelvic cavity properly, or the chemicals made by areas of endometriosis may irritate or promote growth of more areas. So, other researchers are studying the role of the immune system in either stimulating, or reacting to endometriosis.
The two most common symptoms of endometriosis are pain and infertility.
In most cases, the symptoms of endometriosis become milder after menopause because the growths begin to get smaller.
The health care provider will perform a physical exam, including a pelvic exam. Tests that are done to help diagnose endometriosis include:
There is currently no cure for endometriosis. But a variety of treatment options exist, and there are ways to minimize the symptoms caused by the condition.
There are several ways to treat pain, including:
Hormone treatments and surgery may help women who are unable to become pregnant. There are also other treatments for infertility associated with endometriosis.
Endometriosis can lead to problems getting pregnant (infertility). Not all women, especially those with mild endometriosis, will have infertility. Laparoscopy to remove scarring related to the condition may help improve your chances of becoming pregnant. If it does not, fertility treatments should be considered.
Other complications of endometriosis include:
In a few cases, endometriosis implants may cause blockages of the gastrointestinal or urinary tracts. This is rare. Very rarely, cancer may develop in the areas of endometriosis after menopause.
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if:
Consider getting screened for endometriosis if your mother or sister has been diagnosed with endometriosis, or if you are unable to become pregnant after trying for 1 year.
Birth control pills may help to prevent or slow down the development of the endometriosis.
(BlackDoctor.org) — Chronic pain and bloating in a woman’s abdomen may point to an abnormality of the endometrial tissue. According to research or other evidence, the following self-care steps may provide some relief:
What You Need To Know:
These recommendations are not comprehensive and are not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or pharmacist. Continue reading the full endometriosis article for more in-depth, fully-referenced information on medicines, vitamins, herbs, and dietary and lifestyle changes that may be helpful.
Dietary changes that may be helpful There has been no research investigating the effect of any specific diet in women with endometriosis. Preliminary research suggests that women who consume more than 5 grams of caffeine per month (about 1.5 cups of coffee a day) are more likely to have endometriosis. No study has investigated whether avoiding caffeine improves the symptoms of endometriosis.
Lifestyle changes that may be helpful Preliminary studies suggest that women who exercise two to four hours per week have less risk of developing endometriosis. However, the benefit seems to be limited to those women who participate in vigorous exercise, such as jogging or other activities that raise the heart rate. Whether exercise will reduce the symptoms of existing endometriosis is unknown.
Other therapies Surgical treatments, such as removal of the endometrial areas, ovaries, or uterus may also be recommended.
Vitamins that may be helpful In a study of women with pelvic pain presumed to be due to endometriosis, supplementation with vitamin E (1,200 IU per day) and vitamin C (1,000 mg per day) for two months resulted in an improvement of pain in 43% of women, whereas none of the women receiving a placebo reported pain relief.
Animal research suggests that fish oils may reduce the severity of endometriosis, and fish oils have been shown to improve symptoms of dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation), which may be caused by endometriosis. Therefore, while no specific research has been done on the effects of fish oils in women with endometriosis, some health practitioners recommend several grams of fish oil per day for this condition.
Are there any side effects or interactions? Refer to the individual supplement for information about any side effects or interactions.
Herbs that may be helpful Vitex is recommended either alone or in combination with other herbs, such as dandelion root, prickly ash, and motherwort, by some doctors to treat the symptoms of endometriosis. Although vitex affects hormones that in turn affect the severity of endometriosis, and it may be effective for premenstrual syndrome, no research has tested the effect of vitex supplementation on women with endometriosis. Similarly, no other botanical medicines have been scientifically researched for treating this disease.
Are there any side effects or interactions? Refer to the individual herb for information about any side effects or interactions.
Holistic approaches that may be helpful According to preliminary reports, regular meetings with other endometriosis sufferers may help women with endometriosis learn about the disease and cope better with the many psychological and emotional issues that often accompany this condition. One preliminary study found that women who had the opportunity to speak with other women with endometriosis, as well as to meet with their physician, had a higher satisfaction with their overall care.
Acupuncture has been reported anecdotally to help control the pain associated with some cases of endometriosis, but no controlled studies have confirmed this claim. One small, preliminary study found that auricular acupuncture (acupuncture of the ear) was as effective as hormone therapy in treating infertility due to endometriosis.
