Endometriosis: A Silent Disease that Causes Such Havoc for Women and Teenage Girls

Many women across the globe often complain of many nuances that takes place before, during, or after their menstrual cycle. Some of the nuances that women complain about are severe and debilitating menstrual pains in the pelvic region. These pains are normally accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Other women often complain of painful intercourse that occurs before or after their menstrual periods.

These pains are often sharp, dull, or intense pain that makes intercourse very painful and unenjoyable for many women. Ill-defined abdominal pains and intestinal irregularities are the complaints of another group of women. These pains makes it difficult to eat because of the abdominal cramping and sharp pains that are generally located in the abdominal region.

These abdominal pains normally occur at other times without a predictable pattern for women. Other complaints noted by a large number of women includes irregular vaginal bleeding between periods and infertility.

Listed here are the common complaints listed by women around the world. Women often experience these symptoms before, during, and after their menstrual cycle. Unfortunately, other women experience these symptoms on a regular basis without a predictable pattern.

Going to the doctor often leads to no diagnosis or any sign of relief because these symptoms are not clearly defined and can be linked to other diseases. Who would guess that these symptoms are actually a sign of another puzzling disease that is the number one cause of infertility? Who would guess that all of this is actually endometriosis, a disease of the reproductive system? Better yet, what is endometriosis?

Endometriosois

"Endometriosis is a puzzling disease affecting women in their reproductive years. The name comes from the word endometrium, which is the tissue that lines the inside of the uterus and builds up and shreds each month in the menstrual cycle. In endometriosis, tissue like the endometrium is found outside the uterus, in other areas of the body.

In these locations outside the uterus, the endometrial tissue develops into what are called nodules, tumors, lesions, implants, or growths. These growths can cause pain, infertility, and other problems" (Overcoming Endometriosis, 15).

"Endometriosis commonly appears in all pelvic tissues: the ligaments supporting the uterus, the ovaries, the fallopian tubes, the rectum, and the bladder, and perhaps most often in the peritoneum, the thin layer of tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdomen and the pelvis" (Strausz, 424). Growths can also be found in abdominal scars, in the intestines, on the vagina, cervix, and vulva (external genitals).

Endometrial growths have also been found outside the abdomen (extrapelvic endometriosis), in the lung, thigh, arm, the liver, the kidneys, and the spleen. Growths have also been found deep in the abdominal lymph glands, and the tissue surrounding the heart. The appendix, the skin, and the belly button may be involved, but these are often rare and uncommon. The only major organ never involved is the brain.

It is possible for endometriosis to become cancerous, although this is relatively rare. Recent research, however, has indicated that women and girls with the disease are at a greater risk of developing cancer, particularly ovarian and breast cancer, as well as non Hodgkin's lymphoma. It has been stressed that women and girls not ignore their symptoms because of the possibility of developing cancer due to endometriosis.

"Like the lining of the uterus, endometrial growths usually respond to the hormones of the menstrual cycle. They build up tissue each month, break down, and cause bleeding. However, unlike the lining of the uterus, endometrial tissue outside the uterus has no way of leaving the body. The result is internal bleeding, degeneration of the blood and tissue shed from the growths, inflammation of the surrounding areas, and formation of scar tissue.

Other complications, depending on the location of the growths, can be rupture of growths (which can spread endometriosis to new areas), the formation of adhesions, intestinal bleeding or obstruction (if growths are in or near the intestines), interference with bladder function (if the growths are on or in the bladder), and other problems. Symptoms seem to worsen with time, though cycles or remission and reoccurrence are the pattern in some cases" (Endometriosis Association Brochure, 1999).

The Cause of Endometriosis

The cause of endometriosis is not known, but there are a few theories on the disease. One theory is retrograde menstruation: "the passage of bloody menstrual fluids not only through the cervix and into the vagina but also backward, through the fallopian tubes, into the inside of the abdomen" (Strausz, 427). It is believed that all women experience some menstrual backup and those who do must have an immune system problem, or a hormonal problem that allows this tissue to take root and grow.

The second theory states that endometrial tissue is transported to other parts of the body from the uterus through the blood or the lymph. There is a genetic theory that suggests certain families may have predisposing factors to endometriosis. Research headed by the Endometriosis Association has found a link between environmental toxins such as dioxins and PCBs, that act like hormones in the body and causes damage to the immune system. These toxins has actually cause endometriosis in animals.

"Another theory suggests that remnants of tissue from when the woman was an embryo may later develop into endometriosis or that some adult tissues retain the ability they had in the embryo stage to transform into reproductive tissue under certain circumstances. Surgical transplantation has also been cited as a cause in cases where endometriosis is found in abdominal scars, although it has also been found in such scars when direct accidental implantation seems unlikely" (Endometriosis Association Brochure, 1999).

Diagnosis

Endometriosis is usually diagnosed through a laparoscopy. It is not hard to diagnose a woman with endometriosis with this procedure. A laparoscopy is a surgical procedure involving a laparoscope (a tube with a light in it) that is inserted into a tiny incision in the abdomen. The patient's abdomen is distended with carbon gas to make the organs easier to see. By moving the laparoscope around the abdomen, the surgeon is able to locate endometrial growths and look at the condition of the abdomen. It is important to mention that the patient is under an anethesia during the entire surgical procedure.

Treatments

Treatments may involve very expensive drugs that can virtually melt away much of endometriosis. These drugs are Synarel (a nasal spray used three to four times a day), and Depo-Lupron and Zoladex (injections used only once a month). Then there are birth control pills which are considered to be old fashion and less effective.

Women can also rely on abdominal surgery, laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery, and laser surgery. There are also hysterectomies, but this is not really effective because of the possibility of having endometriosis outside of the uterus. Women generally opt for medications and surgery to control endometriosis because some cysts, depending on size and location, will respond to medical treatments while others respond to surgical treatments.

Conclusion

Endometriosis is a disease of the reproductive system that causes a lot of emotional, psychological, and physical pain. Some women have lost intimate relationships, their jobs, and even their lives because of the physical disability and ignorance from the general public.

Some treatment methods for endometriosis involves medications and surgical procedures, but sometimes relief is brief. The "sure fire cure" involving a hysterectomy is not guaranteed because endometrial cysts exist outside the uterus in some women. This means that they can rupture and cause intense pain during a women's cycle and after menopause.

It is important for the public to become educated about this disease so that the cries of women being affected with it is not seen as an illusion. Intense pain during a women's cycle is not normal and it is not a part of being a woman.

Bibliography

1. Balch, James F, M.D., and Balch, Phyllis A., C.N.C. Prescription for NutritionalHealing. Garden City Park, NY: Avery Publishing Group, 1997.

2. "Endometriosis: Tissue out of Place." Women's: Endometriosis. January/February 1998. Women's Health Monitor. 20 November 2000. Available:
http://healthmonitor.com/articles.asp?ce...60198CS&query=Endometriosis&stype=&bold=---"Endometriosis often painful, sometimes silent." Women's: Endometriosis. May/June 2000. Women's Health Monitor. 20 November 2000. Available: http://healthmonitor.com/articles.asp?ce...80300IS&query=Endometriosis&stype=&bold=

3. The Endometriosis Association, and Mary Lou Ballweg. The Endometriosis Sourcebook. New York: Contemporary Books, 1995.

---Overcoming Endometriosis: New Help from the Endometriosis Association. Chicago: Congdon and Weed, Inc, 1987.

---The Endometriosis Association Brochure, Copyright 1999.

3. Strausz, Ivan K, M.D. Women's Symptoms. New York: Dell Publishing, 1996.