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Endometriosis is a condition that many have never heard of, although it can affect up to 1 in 10 women in the UK, and can severely affect those who suffer from it. It can cause severe pain, mental health problems and in some cases, infertility.

What is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue similar to that in the womb grows in other areas in the body. This most commonly occurs in the pelvis, around the ovaries, the fallopian tubes or on the outside of the womb.

Each month, the cells in the tissue respond in the same way as if they were in the womb: they break down and bleed. However, unlike when a woman bleeds normally during her period, the blood has nowhere to go. Instead the broken down tissue grows in these areas, causing inflammation, pain and the formation of scar tissue.

The main symptoms of endometriosis are:

• Painful periods
• Painful sex
• Infertility
• Irregular / heavier periods
• Painful bowel movements and pain when passing urine or stools.

Other symptoms can include:

• Lethargy
• Nausea
• Extreme tiredness
• Depression
• Frequent infections such as thrush
• Feeling faint / fainting during periods

Why does it happen and what are the treatments

There are a number of theories as to why some women end up with endometriosis and others don’t. One of the theories involves a process called retrograde menstruation. This is where menstrual blood flows back through the fallopian tube and into the pelvic cavity instead of outside the body. There are risk factors which are believed to increase this, including a depleted immune system and genetic risks.

Currently, the only way to diagnose it definitively is via a laparoscopic operation. This is a surgical procedure that involves inserting a camera through the stomach towards the pelvis. There is at present no cure for the condition; however, the pain can be managed through hormones, surgery and pain relief.

What should you do if you think you have it?

If you think you might have endometriosis, don’t delay in consulting your GP. Keep a diary of all your symptoms, recording how they are actually affecting you and your quality of life. Tell the GP what you think it is – don’t be afraid to say you think you have endometriosis.

If need support and want to speak to someone, Endometriosis UK has a helpline that has a dedicated team with personal experiences of the condition. Details of opening times are listed on their website.

The future for Endometriosis

Last year, new guidelines came out to help both medical professionals and the public better understand the processes by which patients should be treated. The aim is to help ensure women are diagnosed and can receive treatment more quickly.

Research is ongoing to understand more about the causes of the condition and develop new treatments. Prof. Krina Zondervan at the University of Oxford is a specialist in reproductive and genomic epidemiology. She is involved in the largest genetic study investigating the causes of endometriosis. Currently there are more than 60,000 women involved, and researchers are comparing their DNA to that of women without endometriosis. By doing this, they hope they will be able to better understand what makes some women more susceptible to the condition.

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