Endometriosis is a chronic condition that develops and progresses over a long period of time. It can develop during early adolescence and gradually progress as a person reaches adulthood. A person can have endometriosis and experience no symptoms for a long time before suddenly experiencing symptoms later in life.
Endometriosis can happen in any girl or woman who has menstrual periods, but it is more common in women in their 30s and 40s. You might be more likely to get endometriosis if you have: Never had children.
Those who experience menstruation at an especially early, pre-teen age –between the ages of 9-12 for example – may also experience difficulties in getting diagnosed and receiving the proper care because so few in the general public, as well as the general medical community, realize that endometriosis can affect girls ...
It is known that endometriosis can run in families, and therefore that genetic factors (heritability) play a role in how it develops in some women but not in others.
Endometriosis most often happens in people of childbearing age. This age runs from about 12.5 years old to just after menopause, or about age 51. It only rarely affects a person outside this age range. Researchers don't know whether your risk increases with age.
If left untreated, sometimes endometriosis symptoms will improve, but most will stay the same. Some people will find their symptoms become worse without treatment. For most women with endometriosis, the symptoms will settle once they go through the menopause.
For example, endometriosis is a very common condition that impacts over 6.5 million women in the US alone, and it doesn't discriminate between virgins and non-virgins. It happens when endometrial-like tissue grows in places other than the uterus lining, leading to severe menstrual pain.
What are the risks of untreated endometriosis? Untreated endometriosis can cause significant pain, bloating, excess menstrual bleeding, and digestive distress.
An experienced gynecologist may suspect endometriosis based on a woman's symptoms and the findings during a pelvic exam. Currently, the only way to diagnose endometriosis is through laparoscopy – a minor minimally invasive surgical procedure that is done under general anesthesia (while the patient is asleep).
Clinical studies clearly indicate that endometriosis is a condition associated with high levels of chronic stress. The stress intensity correlates with pain severity and disease extension.
A person cannot prevent endometriosis, but according to the Office on Women's Health , they can reduce their risk of developing it by avoiding foods and chemicals that increase their estrogen levels. These substances include caffeine and alcohol.
So endometriosis is something that can be a little bit elusive, but we can suspect it based on symptoms that you might be experiencing. If you're having pain with your periods, pain in your pelvis in general pain with intercourse, urination, bowel movements, all of that may point us to a suspicion of endometriosis.
Some women can be badly affected, while others do not exhibit any noticeable symptoms. The main, recognized signs and symptoms of endometriosis are: Severe, debilitating abdominal cramps. Pelvic pain, usually worse during a period.
Can endometriosis be seen on an ultrasound? Ultrasounds can show large clumps of tissue that are likely signs of endometriosis. Ultrasounds are also very good at identifying endometriosis of the ovaries. But ultrasounds can't show tiny pieces of tissue that may also be signs of endometriosis.
A hysterectomy is not something that can be reversed and is not a cure for endometriosis, as endometriosis by definition is outside the womb. As a hysterectomy cannot guarantee total loss of pain and symptoms, you will want to know what relief you may experience.
Historically doctors often misdiagnosed endometriosis as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Researchers still do not know the exact cause of endometriosis. However, they now know that endometriosis is not the result of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or a sexually transmitted disease (STD).
Endometriosis blood clots may appear as dark or bright red clumps or blobs in menstrual flow. The clots can vary in size and texture, ranging from small and grainy to larger and more jelly-like in consistency.
On average, women in the United States will suffer from endometriosis for 10 years before receiving a proper diagnosis. Endometriosis affects one in 10 women, and many women who report chronic pelvic pain are found to have it.
You could be putting your health at risk if you don't get treatment. While they are unlikely to be fatal, they can have a negative impact on your quality of life. Untreated endometriosis can lead to a variety of complications, including: Pain that lasts for a long time.
Endometriosis is a chronic condition that causes symptoms such as severe abdominal pain, irregular menstruation, and infertility. Some people report weight gain as a symptom of endometriosis, which may be attributed to abdominal bloating or treatments for the disease. Pain may indirectly contribute to weight gain.