By: Vaishnavi Raju | Date: September 3, 2020

How To Treat Endometriosis-Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

"Nearly 50% of women with endometriosis experience infertility. Check out the treatment methods".

Endometriosis is a common gynecological disorder where the tissue that’s responsible for lining the uterus grows outside of the uterus. While endometriosis can occur at any age, it’s most common in women who are in their 30’s. Severe pelvic pain is one of the most common symptoms of endometriosis, which further elevates during periods.

Some women with endometriosis can also experience difficulty in getting pregnant. In fact, nearly 30-50% of women with endometriosis suffer from infertility [1]. Fortunately, there are medical treatments that can remove Endometriosis and alleviate its symptoms. So, in this article, we are going to share a detailed insight into endometriosis, its causes, and what precautions one can take to conceive with endometriosis.

What is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a condition when endometrial-like tissue develops outside the uterus and causes severe inflammation & pain. The pain can get worse at the end of each menstrual cycle as the tissue will bleed and break down due to the natural hormonal changes.

Endometriosis can also develop ovaries and fallopian tubes. This unnatural growth makes it difficult to get pregnant. Women who develop endometriosis inside fallopian tubes, are at a higher risk of infertility [2].

At the end of each menstrual cycle, the scarred tissue will thicken due to bleeding and may get trapped inside the pelvis region as well. As a result, the pelvis region will get swollen, which is likely to cause irritation.

What Causes Endometriosis?

The exact causes of endometriosis are still unknown. Here are a few possible factors that may trigger the problem in women.

1. Irregular Menstrual Cycle –

Retrograde menstruation is the most common cause of endometriosis. Almost 90% of women with endometriosis experience retrograde menstruation. It’s a condition where the menstrual blood flows back through the fallopian tube. Since the menstrual blood contains endometrial tissues, they stick to the walls of fallopian tubes and continue to grow with each menstrual cycle.

2. Genetic Factors –

Several studies have also revealed that endometriosis can be hereditary. So, if someone in your family has experienced the problem during their reproductive age, it is most likely that you’ll experience it as well.

3. Poor Immune System –

A poor immunity system is often associated with endometriosis. If the immunity system is poor, it won’t recognize and terminate the unnatural growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus.

4. Abdominal Surgery –

Many women also experience endometriosis post abdominal surgeries like Cesarean (C-section) [4] or hysterectomy. This usually happens when endometrial tissue is accidentally moved to different pelvic areas during the surgery.

Signs and Symptoms of Endometriosis

As we mentioned earlier, pelvic pain is the most common symptom of endometriosis. However, women with endometriosis can also experience varying symptoms such as:

● Painful menstrual cramps
● Pain during intercourse
● Severe pain during periods, even when you are urinating
● Excessive bleeding during periods
● Infertility
● Poor Digestion

It’s also worth noting that it’s not necessary that you experience all these symptoms. Endometriosis symptoms vary in different women.

How Does Endometriosis Affect Female Fertility

Infertility is a common symptom of endometriosis. While not all women who have endometriosis experience infertility, half of them are likely to have difficulty in conception. There are several theories that explain why endometriosis can lead to infertility, but there aren’t any hard-proofs that can tell the exact reason.

In general, researchers believe that endometriosis causes pelvic inflammation, which can make fertilization challenging. Also, the scarred tissue can block the fallopian tubes and prevent the sperm from meeting a mature egg.

What are the Treatments for Endometriosis?

There is a wide range of medical treatments that’ll help you manage endometriosis. You should check-in with your doctor as he/she’ll analyze the situation and recommend the right treatment accordingly.

Some of the treatments of endometriosis include:

Fertility Treatments –

Fertility treatments are a suitable option for women who have endometriosis and can’t get pregnant. IVF (In-Vitro Fertilization) is one of the most popular fertility treatments for women with endometriosis as it involves minimum risk factors.

Pain Medication –

If someone is experiencing endometriosis at a young age, the doctor may only recommend painkillers to reduce the abdominal pain during periods. However, these medicines won’t be the right choice for women who are trying to conceive.

Surgery –

Surgery is also an effective treatment for women who want to completely get rid of endometriosis. During the surgery, the surgeon will find the endometriosis patches inside the pelvic region and remove them. Once the surgery completes, you may also require a hormonal treatment to regulate the growth of estrogen in the body. But, if you are trying to conceive, the doctor may also skip the treatment as well.

Conclusion

“Endometriosis is a common disorder that affects many women. It has varying symptoms, which means it’s not necessary that you’ll experience infertility if you have endometriosis. Some women with endometriosis successfully conceive and don’t face any complications during pregnancy either. In conclusion, if you are experiencing any of the symptoms of endometriosis, you should visit a doctor for a complete diagnosis”.