Endometriosis: Symptoms, Treatment, Causes, Stages & Diagnosis in India

What is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a condition that affects a woman’s reproductive system. It occurs when the cells present in the uterus start growing outside. It is usually found on or surrounds the abdominal and pelvic organs (includes the ovary). The uterus lining is known as the endometrial. When the endometrium grows in the ovaries, bowel, and renal pelvis, it results in endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a gynaecological condition. The hormonal changes affect and misplace the endometrial tissue. The tissue grows, thickens, and breaks down, and embeds itself in the pelvis. According to a survey, 10% of the worldwide population of women aged 15 to 49 suffers from endometriosis. Infertility plague 30% to 40%, and 90% deal with pelvic pain.

Symptoms

The most common symptom of endometriosis is pelvic pain. Other symptoms include:

Pain in the abdominal area, before and during menstruation.
Irregular period.
Heavy menstrual bleeding.
Lower back pain.
Infertility.
Irritation.
Formation of scars.

Causes

The causes of endometriosis include:

Late pregnancy.
Use of alcohol.
Light body weight.
Immune cell changes.

Risks

The main risk factors of the disease include:

Low BMI (Body Mass Index).
Uterine abnormalities.
Having high estrogen level in your body.
Women experiencing heavy bleeding or a long menstrual cycle.

Prevention

Endometriosis is a chronic pain that is hard to manage. The reason it cannot be prevented is because the causes are not properly understood. The only prevention is the use of contraceptive pills.

How is it diagnosed?

At Medanta, the tests of diagnosis include:
...

Laparoscopy
Ultrasound
Physical examination
Analyzing the history of the patient

How is it treated?

Endometriosis has no specific cure, but can be treated with medical tests and minor surgical procedures. At Medanta, the technique of treatment include: