Globally, about 17.6 million suffer from Endometriosis and around 2.6 million women in India suffer from this painful disease. The unbearably distressing disease is known to affect the daily lives of women in innumerable ways.  Endometriosis is a disorder in which tissue resembling the lining of the uterus begins to develop outside the uterine cavity. The lining of the uterus is called the endometrium. Endometriosis occurs when endometrial tissue begins to develop on the tissue lining of ovaries and pelvis.

What is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a health condition that affects the uterus in which endometrial tissue starts growing abnormally and spreads out of the uterus. Sometimes the endometrium layer also extends to the ovaries, intestines and other reproductive organs besides the outer layer of the uterus. Endometriosis can affect the fallopian tubes, ovaries, lymph nodes, and peritoneum. Usually, the endometrial tissues present in the uterus pass out during menstruation. If they become large, then they affect the functioning of the body. This problem is not due to an infection but due to a deficiency in the immune system of the body.

How Does Endometriosis  Affect Your Menstrual Cycle?

For people with endometriosis, with every menstrual period, the layer of this tissue grows in other organs and it cannot get out because the passage is blocked by a thick layer of tissue. It then becomes the cause of unbearable pain. There is unbearable pain during menstruation due to endometriosis. Prolonged pain in the pelvic area, fatigue, pain during or after sex, an excessive amount of bleeding during menstruation and infertility are some of the difficulties women with endometriosis have to face. Most of the women come to know about this disease later in life. Endometriosis Symptoms, Causes and Early Signs. 

5 Facts About the Painful Condition, Endometriosis

  • Endometriosis sometimes also causes infertility in women. According to research by NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information), 25% to 50% of women who have problems with pregnancy tend to have endometriosis.

  • Assisted reproductive technology (ART) increases the chances of conceiving in women suffering from endometriosis. Despite having endometriosis, special treatment such as IUI and IVF exist for conception.

  • Tests such as ultrasound, MRI, laparoscopy and pelvic examination are done to check for endometriosis. During a pelvic test, the doctor examines the pelvis, to detect any alopecia in the pelvis or cysts present in the reproductive organs.

  • Contraceptive drugs are often used to treat endometriosis. Therefore, you can consult a doctor regarding hormonal contraception.

  • Severe pain in the pelvis during periods cause women to have difficulty in stretching the muscles.

Researchers have attributed the disease to the body's immune system, heredity, early menstruation, infertility and prolonged menstruation that can last up to seven days. According to some researchers, endometriosis can be caused by the inverted flow of menstrual blood into the fallopian tubes and pelvis.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 03, 2021 03:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).