MARCH IS ENDOMETRIOSIS AWARENESS MONTH

Backed by Congressional legislation, the Endometriosis Research Center is again celebrating March as “Endometriosis Awareness Month” in honor of all those affected by the disease. I'm not a doctor, but I do suffer from this disease, and I have done my research. This is just a post to tell you what Endometriosis is, in hopes that I might be able to help you or somebody that you know.

What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis is the growth of cells similar to those that form the inside of the uterus (endometrial cells), but in a location outside of the uterus. Endometrial cells are the same cells that are shed each month during menstruation. The cells of endometriosis attach themselves to tissue outside the uterus and are called endometriosis implants. These implants are most commonly found on the ovaries, the Fallopian tubes, outer surfaces of the uterus or intestines, and on the surface lining of the pelvic cavity. They can also be found in the vagina, cervix, and bladder, although less commonly than other locations in the pelvis. Rarely, endometriosis implants can occur outside the pelvis, on the liver, in old surgery scars, and even in or around the lung or brain. Endometrial implants, while they can cause problems, are benign.

Who is affected by endometriosis?

Endometriosis affects women in their reproductive years. The exact prevalence of endometriosis is not known, since many women may have the condition and have no symptoms. Endometriosis is estimated to affect over one million women (estimates range from 3% to 18% of women) in the United States. It is one of the leading causes of pelvic pain and reasons for laparoscopic surgery and hysterectomy in this country. While most cases of endometriosis are diagnosed in women aged around 25-35 years, endometriosis has been reported in girls as young as 11 years of age. Endometriosis is rare in postmenopausal women. Endometriosis is more commonly found in white women as compared with African American and Asian women. Studies further suggest that endometriosis is most common in taller, thin women with a low body mass index (BMI). Delaying pregnancy until an older age is also believed to increase the risk of developing endometriosis.

What are endometriosis symptoms?

Most women who have endometriosis, in fact, do not have symptoms. Of those who do experience symptoms, the common symptoms are pain (usually pelvic) and infertility. Pelvic pain usually occurs during or just before menstruation and lessens after menstruation. Some women experience pain or cramping with intercourse, bowel movements and/or urination. Even pelvic examination by a doctor can be painful. The pain intensity can change from month to month, and vary greatly among women. Some women experience progressive worsening of symptoms, while others can have resolution of pain without treatment.

Pelvic pain in women with endometriosis depends partly on where the implants of endometriosis are located.

•Deeper implants and implants in areas with many pain-sensing nerves may be more likely to produce pain.


•The implants may also produce substances that circulate in the bloodstream and cause pain.


•Lastly, pain can result when endometriosis implants form scars. There is no relationship between severity of pain and how widespread the endometriosis is (the "stage" of endometriosis).
Endometriosis can be one of the reasons for infertility in otherwise healthy couples. When laparoscopic examinations are performed for infertility evaluations, endometrial implants can be found in some of these patients, many of whom may not have painful symptoms of endometriosis. The reasons for a decrease in fertility are not completely understood, but might be due to both anatomic and hormonal factors. The presence of endometriosis may involve masses of tissue or scarring (adhesions) within the pelvis that may distort normal anatomical structures, such as Fallopian tubes, which transport the eggs from the ovaries. Alternatively, endometriosis may affect fertility through the production of hormones and other substances that have a negative effect on ovulation, fertilization of the egg, and/or implantation of the embryo.

Other symptoms related to endometriosis include:

•lower abdominal pain,


•diarrhea and/or constipation,


•low back pain,


•irregular or heavy menstrual bleeding, or


•blood in the urine.
Rare symptoms of endometriosis include chest pain or coughing blood due to endometriosis in the lungs and headache and/or seizures due to endometriosis in the brain.

Endometriosis and cancer risk

Women with endometriosis have a mildly increased risk for development of certain types of cancer of the ovary, known as epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). This risk seems to be highest in women with endometriosis and primary infertility (those who have never borne a child), but the use of oral contraceptive pills (OCPs), which are sometimes used in the treatment of endometriosis, appears to significantly reduce this risk.

The reasons for the association between endometriosis and ovarian epithelial cancer are not clearly understood. One theory is that the endometriosis implants themselves undergo transformation to cancer. Another possibility is that the presence of endometriosis may be related to other genetic or environmental factors that also increase a women's risk of developing ovarian cancer.


How is endometriosis diagnosed?

Endometriosis can be suspected based on symptoms of pelvic pain and findings during physical examinations in the doctor's office. Occasionally, during a rectovaginal exam (one finger in the vagina and one finger in the rectum), the doctor can feel nodules (endometrial implants) behind the uterus and along the ligaments that attach to the pelvic wall. At other times, no nodules are felt, but the examination itself causes unusual pain or discomfort.

Unfortunately, neither the symptoms nor the physical examinations can be relied upon to conclusively establish the diagnosis of endometriosis. Imaging studies, such as ultrasound, can be helpful in ruling out other pelvic diseases and may suggest the presence of endometriosis in the vaginal and bladder areas, but still cannot definitively diagnose endometriosis. For an accurate diagnosis, a direct visual inspection inside of the pelvis and abdomen, as well as tissue biopsy of the implants are necessary.

As a result, the only accurate way of diagnosing endometriosis is at the time of surgery, either by opening the belly with large-incision laparotomy or small-incision laparoscopy.

Laparoscopy is the most common surgical procedure for the diagnosis of endometriosis. Laparoscopy is a minor surgical procedure done under general anesthesia, or in some cases under local anesthesia. It is usually performed as an out-patient procedure (the patient going home the same day). Laparoscopy is performed by first inflating the abdomen with carbon dioxide through a small incision in the navel. A long, thin viewing instrument (laparoscope) is then inserted into the inflated abdominal cavity to inspect the abdomen and pelvis. Endometrial implants can then be directly seen.

During laparoscopy, biopsies (removal of tiny tissue samples for examination under a microscope) can also be performed for a diagnosis. Sometimes biopsies obtained during laparoscopy show endometriosis even though no endometrial implants are seen during laparoscopy.

Pelvic ultrasound and laparoscopy are also important in excluding malignancies (such as ovarian cancer) that can cause symptoms that mimic endometriosis symptoms

How is endometriosis treated?

Before I give you treatment options, I have to tell you- there is no cure. Endometriosis can be treated with medications and/or surgery. The goals of endometriosis treatment may include pain relief and/or enhancement of fertility.

If you think you may have this disease, please contact your doctor. God Bless!