Endometriosis Signs and Symptoms

Question 1

What is Endometriosis?

Answer 1

Endometriosis is a painful, chronic disease that affects woman during their reproductive period.

Endometriosis never shows up before puberty and usually ends with menopause. It is characterized by implantation of the endometrial tissue outside of the endometrium.

internal endometriosis – If the tissue gets implanted inside the myometrium, it is called internal endometriosis.
external endometriosis – If the tissue gets implanted outside of the uterus (ovaries, cervix, vagina, bladder, rectum, peritoneum, etc.), it is called external endometriosis.

Question 2

What is Endometrial tissue?

Answer 2

This endometrial tissue which is located outside of its normal place, responds to the menstrual cycle in the same way as the endometrial tissue located inside the uterus. Every month the endometrial tissue builds up, breaks down and sheds.

Question 3

What is Internal bleeding?

Answer 3

Normally, when this process occurs inside of the uterus, the blood gets out of the human body through vagina. But, in cases when the endometrial tissue is located outside of the uterus, there is no way for the blood to get out. This internal bleeding leads to the signs and symptoms of endometriosis, depending from the place where the endometrial tissue has penetrated.

Question 4

Signs and Symptoms of Endometriosis

Answer 4

The signs and symptoms of endometriosis vary from one woman to another. The amount of endometriosis does not always correspond to the amount of pain and discomfort a woman can feel. Usually the symptoms vary from the menstrual cycle and with time they intend to get worse.

Classic signs and symptoms of endometriosis are:

Irregular, heavy and painful periods
Painful sexual intercourse
Pain after sexual intercourse
Painful bowel movements
Fatigue
Infertility, etc.
However, not only the above signs and symptoms are present. A lot of woman with endometriosis also experience pain while urinating, diarrhea altered with constipation, bloating, especially during the periods, tiredness, lack of energy, leg pain, back pain, epistaxis, etc.

Endometriosis affecting the bladder is rare and signs and symptoms vary from the penetration of endometriosis. The penetration can be deep or superficial. A superficial endometriosis is found in the outer surface of the bladder, while a deeper endometriosis is found on the inside of the bladder wall.

Question 5

igns and symptoms of endometriosis which affects the bowel include:

Answer 5

Deep pelvic pain during sexual intercourse
Rectal bleeding during periods
Painful bowel movements
Pain on opening the bowls, etc.
The biggest problem of endometriosis is infertility. The infertility rate among woman with endometriosis is higher, compared to woman without endometriosis. The rate is up to 40%. Medical treatments can help a lot of woman overcome infertility and pregnancy itself in some cases can relieve the signs and symptoms of endometriosis.