Grow Youthful: How to Slow Your Aging and Enjoy Extraordinary Health
Grow Youthful: How to Slow Your Aging and Enjoy Extraordinary Health

Endometriosis

What is endometriosis?

Risk factors for endometriosis

Symptoms of endometriosis

Stages of endometriosis

Prevention / remedies / cures / treatment for endometriosis

References

What is endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a chronic condition that starts in a woman's reproductive organs. It occurs when the tissue that lines the uterus and is normally flushed out during each monthly period, instead starts to grow outside of the uterus. This new growth is called endometrial implant.

In a normal menstrual cycle, the tissue on the surface of the uterus thickens, and then later breaks down and is flushed out in the menstrual blood. However, if this endometrial tissue has migrated elsewhere, this transplanted tissue has no way to exit the body. Wherever it is located, this trapped tissue (endometrial implant) continues to respond to the monthly flow of hormones in the menstrual cycle.

The endometrial implant may start to grow and may form patches, cysts or nodules, depending on where it is located. It can grow on the surface of organs, or even inside organs in the pelvic region. It can locate on the peritoneum (the membrane lining the abdomen and pelvis), the ovaries, bowel or tissue lining the pelvis. Adenomyosis is when endometrial tissue is found in the muscular walls of the uterus, and occurs in about 10% of cases.

Endometriosis rarely goes beyond the pelvic region.

Endometriosis occurs in 6-10% of women. (1) It is most common in those aged in their thirties and forties. An increasing number of younger women are affected.

Diagnosis is usually based on the symptoms, followed by medical imaging. Laparoscopy and a biopsy is the most reliable diagnosis.

Doctors and scientists have not agreed on the cause of endometriosis. It is probably a dysfunction of the immune system and the hormonal system controlling the female menstrual cycle.

Usually, endometriosis disappears after menopause. It can occur in postmenopausal women, but is not common.

Risk factors for endometriosis

Symptoms of endometriosis

About 25% of women with endometriosis have no symptoms. (1)

Stages of endometriosis

  1. Minimal. Small superficial lesions /endometrial patches and possibly a few filmy adhesions (sticky deposits).
  2. Mild. Many deep lesions / endometrial patches. Adhesions between the uterus and the rectum (this area is called the Pouch of Douglas).
  3. Moderate. Adhesions migrate to the fallopian tubes and ovaries.
  4. Severe. A large number of implanted endometrial patches; scars and nodules; adhesions to other organs such as the bladder and the bowel; changes to the shape of pelvic organs. Fallopian tubes, ovaries, the uterus, the bowels and the bladder can be bound together in ways that are painful on a daily basis, not just during menstrual periods.

Prevention / remedies / cures / treatment for endometriosis

If you use any of these remedies, please come back next week (or whenever you have an outcome) and let us know about your experience. Please leave a comment as many people are interested.

See details of remedies recommended by Grow Youthful visitors, and their experience with them.

References

1. Bulletti C, Coccia ME, Battistoni S, Borini A. Endometriosis and infertility. August 2010. J. Assist. Reprod. Genet. 27 (8): 441-7.

2. Ballard K, Lane H, Hudelist G, Banerjee S, Wright J. Can specific pain symptoms help in the diagnosis of endometriosis? A cohort study of women with chronic pelvic pain. June 2010. Fertil. Steril. 94 (1): 20-7.

3. Anger DL, Foster WG. The link between environmental toxicant exposure and endometriosis. Frontiers in Bioscience, 2008. 13: 1578-93. doi:10.2741/2782. PMID 17981650.

4. Patel B, Elguero S, Thakore S et al. Role of nuclear progesterone receptor isoforms in uterine pathophysiology. Human Reproduction Update, 2014. 21 (2): 155-173. doi:10.1093/humupd/dmu056. ISSN 1355-4786.

5. Bulletti C, Montini A, Setti PL et al. Vaginal parturition decreases recurrence of endometriosis. Fertil. Steril. June 2009. 94 (3): 850-5. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2009.04.012. PMID 19524893.

6. Hassan Malekinejad, Aysa Rezabakhsh. Hormones in Dairy Foods and Their Impact on Public Health - A Narrative Review Article. Iran J Public Health. 2015 Jun; 44(6): 742-758.

7. van Haaften M, Donker GH, Haspels AA, Thijssen JH. Oestrogen concentrations in plasma, endometrium, myometrium and vagina of post-menopausal women, and effects of vaginal oestriol (E3) and oestradiol (E2) applications. J Steroid Biochem, 1989. 33 (4A): 647-653.