What is endometriosis yahoo

While endometriosis is most common in the lower abdomen or pelvis, this diseased tissue can actually grow on every organ in the body.

During her surgery, Paruag said, doctors discovered she had advanced endometriosis, finding damaged tissue in her bowels, bladder, diaphragm and lungs.

But recently, U. She noted that for one strand of endometriosis - in which painful cysts form in the ovaries - relief may not be possible without the surgery. But "other than those circumstances," she said, "I never considered surgery the treatment, but rather one component in multiple strategies to treat the condition.

The news about laparoscopic surgery - first reported by the Guardian - caused a stir among endometriosis patients and advocates online, Paruag said. Surgery could worsen pain, experts told the paper, especially if patients have damaged nerve endings. After an excision surgery, when surgeons remove diseased tissue, they often slice through some of the nerves that have grown inside the endometrial lesions, which can exacerbate symptoms for patients, depending on the kind of endometriosis they have.

Often, endometriosis patients rely heavily on their own research so they can better advocate for themselves, she added. Perkins frequently posts educational tips on a broad range of reproductive health topics on TikTok and Instagram, in part because physicians "often don't have adequate time" to counsel and education patients, she said.

When she posts about endometriosis, there is a "strong response" from people who suspect they have it, and from those who have a diagnosis but still need help understanding their disease. They're yearning for relief from pain and the condition as they suffer from it," she said. She sees a significant need for better diagnostic tools, so doctors can identify patients earlier. Pederson, who lives in Bristol, England, waited two and a half years after reporting her severe period pain before seeing a gynecologist, who said she suspected Pederson has endometriosis.

But she didn't recommend a laparoscopic surgery to confirm the diagnosis because Pederson was also trying to get hormonal contraception, which is considered a treatment for the disease. Pederson believes the reluctance to recommend her for surgery comes down to a lack of funding - and deeply ingrained misogyny in medical research.

According to a Guardian article, less than 2. And in the United States, despite the country being a global driver in medical research, the National Institutes of Health didn't require women to be included in research trial until Before then, researchers deemed women's bodies too complicated to be studied, because of their fluctuating hormones.

But Loveless, of ACOG, is hopeful that an interest and advocacy in endometriosis could spur more research funding. One growing area for research, she said, is getting an accurate and effective diagnostic blood test, which could reduce the need for surgery. There is also a need for more effective treatment options specific to different variants of endometriosis.

Perkins emphasized that in order for treatment to be effective, it must be personalized. Day has had two surgeries, 11 years apart. Johnson, a licensed massage therapist, has also had two, and says some of the women she works with as an advocate with the Endometriosis Association have had as many as Surgery helps, certainly, but there is no cure.

She, like many, assumed once the glob was out, life would go back to normal. Experts recommend hormonal medications until a woman is done having kids. When fertility is no longer a concern, she can then reevaluate treatment based on how bad the pain continues to be. At menopause, the drop in estrogen tends to result in a drop in endometriosis symptoms, Laufer says, but pain may also continue later in life. Many women with endometriosis rely on prescription painkillers—nothing else dulls the pain enough to allow them to carry on with their daily lives.

This discomfort talking about—gasp! It certainly makes dating extra tricky, Johnson says. She was left to find an endo specialist herself, with the help of online support groups.

He suggests looking for someone who specializes in endometriosis specifically. She started going to therapy for clinical depression, which she later learned was not uncommon among women with endometriosis. After surgery and along with hormones, experts recommend approaching endometriosis care from all angles: A holistic approach to treatment can include working with a physical therapist to limit pelvic pain, adopting an anti-inflammation diet, even acupuncture, Seckin says.

Day advocates for clean living: She opts for green cleaners, eats organic, and keeps stress in check to quiet inflammation and pain. Johnson says even though a little gentle exercise may help with the pain, sometimes being active exacerbates it or brings on new bleeding. Have we repeated this enough yet? Surgery can lessen some symptoms, and medications can help too, but nothing puts endo to rest for good. It will never look like what it did before your diagnosis, and that is incredibly frustrating.

Amazon shoppers are living in these on-sale joggers: 'OMG these are the most comfortable pants I've ever owned! Dust like nobody's watching. Available in more than 20 colors, these luxe, anti-pilling sheets fit mattresses up to 18 inches thick. These jeans are known for their just-right fits and fun styles. About 40 percent of women with infertility also have endometriosis, and 30 to 50 percent of women with endometriosis may experience infertility, according to The American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

Most terrifying: Some women with endometriosis don't have any symptoms at all, Dr. Ross adds. This camp is far smaller and often diagnosed as a result of learning they have infertility or an ovarian mass. Diagnosis can be tricky, even for specialists, Dr.

And treatment can be challenging and frustrating. But both docs agree you should talk to your ob-gyn if you have any alarming pains, particularly in the pelvic region and during your period. King says. We don't know why some women get endometriosis, but we do know there's a genetic risk—if you have one or more first-degree relatives mom, sisters, aunts with endometriosis, you're more likely to get it.

Other things that increase your chances of developing it: starting your period at an early age, short durations between periods or bleeding for more than seven days, and uterine abnormalities. It's also more common in women who haven't given birth. As far as doctors can tell, endometriosis can hit any woman anytime between getting her first period and menopause, and most women are actually diagnosed with the condition in their 30s or 40s, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist s ACOG.

Because docs haven't pinpointed what exactly causes endometriosis, we don't yet know how to prevent it. But you can mitigate your risk and symptoms, particularly if you're at high risk genetically. Many believe that keeping your estrogen levels low can help reduce your chances, Dr. Ross says, which means the birth control pill, regular exercise, and avoiding excessive alcohol and caffeine could all theoretically help. The only way to accurately diagnose endometriosis is through surgery, Dr.

This allows your doc to see the implants and scar tissue directly. But often a patient's history and pelvic exam will give a good sense of what's going on and docs can treat the symptoms. The most common way that docs treat endometriosis is by prescribing medication for the pain and hormonal drugs like birth control to control the heavy bleeding.

If the meds don't work or symptoms are severe, your doc may then consider surgery in the form of a laparoscopy to remove or burn off the [displaced uterine cells].

This helps treat the symptoms and increases the chance of getting pregnant for those having trouble conceiving due to the condition. Unfortunately, according to ACOG , 40 to 80 percent of women will have pain again within two years of surgery, likely from cells that weren't visible or couldn't be removed during surgery. But even if it comes back, it's crucial to still treat endo early This damage is typically reversible once endo is cut out surgically, but the pain and dysfunction often requires additional therapy, including pelvic floor physical therapy, Dr.

Plus, the scarring from untreated endo can increase chances of infertility, as the inflammation may damage the sperm or egg or interfere with their movement through the fallopian tubes and uterus, ACOG reports. To top it off, Dr.