Living With Endometriosis - How To Manage It?

Endometriosis is an abnormal condition wherein the tissue that is inside the uterus, the endometrium, is seen outside the uterus, for instance, in the ovaries. It is not exactly clear as to how it happens, but the uterine lining which is formed when an egg is released gets dislodged and is lodged elsewhere. Factors like early onset of menstruation, never having borne a child, and delayed menopause put a woman at greater risk for endometriosis. If you have chronic pelvic pain during a period, endometriosis could be one of the causes.

Endometriosis can have multiple impacts. While in some, it could be painful menstrual cycles, in others, fertility could be affected. There are some women who may not get diagnosed at all, as they may have very minimal symptoms and may just ignore the painful periods as normal. Endometriosis grows in severity gradually and symptoms also may worsen with time and the size and amount of dislodged tissue within the pelvis. Endometriosis can be identified on pelvic scans when a woman complains of severe pelvic pain over a period of time.

The most common complication arising out of endometriosis is infertility. If a woman is not able to conceive, check if there is a strong family history, early onset of menstruation, or reduced immunity. Also look for symptoms like painful menstruation, excessive bleeding, and painful intercourse. Correlating these two should help in arriving at a diagnosis and initiate appropriate treatment. Early intervention also helps in preventing further spread of the disease. Talk to your doctor about symptoms to watch for if you have a strong family history of endometriosis.

In some women, no treatment may be required, as the condition can remain completely asymptomatic. Some might just need some moral support during painful periods. Others find relief in simple pelvic exercises. Some manage with painkillers and heat pads during their periods. There is a very small group which actually requires surgical treatment for endometriosis, and this ranges from conservative surgery to just remove the dislodged uterine tissue to complete hysterectomy. This should only be done in women who are done with their pregnancy phase. Surgery should be considered after a thorough discussion on the pregnancy needs of the woman.