Endometriosis
April 29, 2020
You may have heard someone say they have “endometriosis”, but you probably did not know exactly what that meant. It is a long, strange word and you don’t really hear it very often. It’s actually a very serious, painful condition. Endometriosis is when a tissue that normally grows on the inside of a woman’s uterus grows on the outside. If left untreated it can cause several problems like:
- Infertility
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Irregular or heavy menstruation
- Lower abdominal pain
- Chronic fatigue
The cause of Endometriosis is unknown however females who have the following have greater chances of developing it:
- A family history of the condition
- Longer exposure to menstruation (long period cycles, early starting age, etc)
- Conditions that could increase, block, or redirect menstrual flow
- Immune system disorders
- Surgeries such as caesarean delivery or a hysterectomy
Allergies, asthma, chemical sensitivities, autoimmune diseases, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer are also linked to women and families with endometriosis.
This disease effects more than 10 percent of reproductive-aged women. If you have been experiencing some or all the symptoms, then talk to your doctor. After explaining your symptoms, they may want to do a pelvic exam to check for cysts or scars or do imaging testing like an MRI or ultrasound.
You can help reduce your risk of developing endometriosis by exercising, eating less process foods, decreasing your alcohol intake, reducing caffeine, and talking to your doctor about birth control.