Essay On Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a painful, chronic disease that occurs when tissue, called the endometrium is found outside the uterus. Common symptoms include lower abdomen pain, often described as “cramp-like” pain. Other symptoms associated with endometriosis are pelvic pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and infertility. Pain can also appear in the lower belly, legs and back. The type of pain felt depends on where the endometrial tissue has grown in the abdomen. Another term for endometrial tissue is endometrial implants. These implants can grow outside the womb or in the wall of a fallopian tube. The bowel and bladder can also be affected, which can lead to problems with urination and bowel movements.
During a woman’s fertile years, the tissue that is lining her womb builds up every month. If the woman does not become pregnant the endometrium is shed and she begins her menstrual period. With endometriosis the endometrial tissue that is shed in different areas of the abdomen cannot leave the body. Some women the tissue is broken down by their bodies and do not notice anything different. In other women, the tissue that is shed sticks together and can become inflamed or cysts can develop.
Hormone based treatments help to slow down the growth of endometrial implants. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist are also used. Another option is surgery; this procedure is to remove as many of the endometrial implants possible.
Some risk factors for endometriosis include shorter menstrual cycles, having long and heavy bleeding during menstruation, family history of endometriosis, using no hormonal contraceptives and Von Willebrand