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| Endometriosis ... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What it is | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Endometriosis, a cause of female infertility, is a condition in which endometrial tissue, the tissue that lines the inside of the uterus, grows outside the uterus and attaches to other organs in the abdominal cavity such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes. The endometrial tissue outside your uterus responds to your menstrual cycle hormones the same way the tissue inside your uterus responds - it swells and thickens, then sheds to mark the beginning of the next cycle. The blood that is shed from the endometrial tissue in your abdominal cavity has no place to go, resulting in pools of blood causing an inflammation that forms scar tissue. The scar tissue can block the fallopian tubes or interfere with ovulation. Another result of endometriosis is the formation of ovarian cysts called endometrioma that may also interfere with ovulation Endometriosis is a progressive disease that tends to get worse over time, affecting more than 5 million American women, including teen girls . It's not always diagnosed right away in teens because at first they or their doctors assume that their painful periods are a normal part of menstruating. But continuing, excessive pain that limits activity isn't normal and should always be taken seriously. Because severe endometriosis can make it complicated for a girl to have children in the future, it's a good idea to get medical help for endometriosis and not wait too long. It is estimated that 30-40% of women with endometriosis are infertile. |
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Most common symptom |
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| is pelvic pain, often correlating to the menstrual cycle. For many the pain of endometriosis is so severe and debilitating that it impacts their lives in significant ways. Pain may be felt: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Other symptoms may include: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Diagnosing |
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| isn't always easy. Lots of things can cause pelvic pain, so even if a girl's symptoms point to endometriosis, a doctor may want to rule out other possibilities In addition to doing a physical examination, the doctor will ask you about any concerns and symptoms you have, your past health, your family's health (endometriosis is usually genetic), any medications you're taking, any allergies you may have, and other issues. This is called the medical history. Depending on your symptoms, a doctor may also ask you to keep a pain diary. Recording type of pain, location, duration and intensity. Your doctor may also order scanning tests that can create images of the pelvic region, such as ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to rule out other possible causes of the symptoms. If necessary, you docto may need to perform a laparoscopy, an outpatient surgical procedure, which is necessary to confirm a diagnosis of endometriosis after any or all of the above.. After the initial diagnosis, your physician will classify your condition as stage 1 (minimal), stage 2 (mild), stage 3 (moderate) or stage 4 (extensive) based on the amount of scarring and diseased tissue found. Based on the stage of endometriosis, your physician will determine the best treatment plan for you. |
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Treatment |
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| Endometriosis can't be cured, but its symptoms can usually be controlled. Doctors often prescribe birth control pills because they use hormones to prevent ovulation (the monthly release of an egg from an ovary). If a girl doesn't ovulate, then the endometrial implants won't build up as much, and this can make endometriosis less painful Other medications used to treat endometriosis work in the same way as birth control pills to modify the hormone-driven buildup and breakdown of endometrial tissue. Doctors typically don't recommend these treatments for teens until well after puberty is completed, though. Surgery is often helpful if medications don't work. A doctor can remove endometrial growths by directing an intense light beam (laser) onto them with the help of a laparoscope. After this treatment, many girls find relief from their symptoms, but some may experience pain again if the growths return over time. Laparoscopic treatment is the typical type of surgical treatment for endometriosis, although in rare cases more extensive surgery may be needed. Doctors often suggest lifestyle changes for teens who have endometriosis, too. A healthy diet, moderate exercise, and relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation can help. |
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