Information
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Natural Supplement and Remedies for Endometriosis
Endometriosis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Endometriosis is a common medical condition characterized by growth of endometrial tissue, the lining of the uterus, beyond or outside the uterus.
Affecting an estimated 89 million women (usually around 30 to 40 years of age who have never been pregnant before, though it can occur in those that have) of reproductive age around the world, one in every 5 females get endometriosis. However, endometriosis can occur very rarely in postmenopausal women. An estimated 2%-4% of endometriosis cases are diagnosed in the postmenopausal period.
In endometriosis, the endometrium (from endo, "inside", and metra, "womb") is found to be growing outside the uterus, on or in other areas of the body. Normally, the endometrium is shed each month during the menstrual cycle; however, in endometriosis, the misplaced endometrium is usually unable to exit the body. The endometriotic tissues still detach and bleed, but the result is far different: internal bleeding, degenerated blood and tissue shedding, inflammation of the surrounding areas, pain, and formation of scar tissue may result. In addition, depending on the location of the growths, interference with the normal function of the bowel, bladder, small intestines and other organs within the pelvic cavity can occur. In very rare cases, endometriosis has also been found in the skin, the lungs, the eye, the diaphragm, and the brain.
Symptoms
A major symptom of endometriosis is severe recurring pain. The amount of pain a woman feels is not necessarily related to the extent or stage (1 through 4) of endometriosis. Some women will have little or no pain despite having extensive endometriosis affecting large areas or having endometriosis with scarring. On the other hand, women may have severe pain even though they have only a few small areas of endometriosis.
Symptoms of endometriosis can include (but are not limited to):
* Painful, sometimes disabling menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea); pain may get worse over time (progressive pain)
* Chronic pain (typically lower back pain and pelvic pain, also abdominal)
* Painful sex (dyspareunia)
* Painful bowel movements (dyschezia) or painful urination (dysuria)
* Heavy menstrual periods (menorrhagia)
* Nausea and vomiting
* Premenstrual or inter menstrual spotting (bleeding between periods)
* Infertility and sub fertility. Endometriosis may lead to fallopian tube obstruction. Even without this, there may be difficulty conceiving. In some women, sub fertility is the sole symptom, and the endometriosis is only discovered after fertility investigations.
* Bowel obstruction (possibly including vomiting, crampy pain, diarrhea, a rigid and tender abdomen, and distention of the abdomen, depending on where the blockage is and what is causing it) or complete urinary retention.
In addition, women who are diagnosed with endometriosis may have gastrointestinal symptoms that may mimic irritable bowel syndrome, as well as fatigue.
Patients who rupture an endometriotic cyst may present with an acute abdomen as a medical emergency. Endometriotic cysts in the thoracic cavity may cause some form of thoracic endometriosis syndrome, most often catamenial pneumothorax.
Frequency
In the US: Endometriosis occurs in 7-10% of women in the general population (Wheeler, 1989). It is an oestrogen-dependent disease and, thus, usually affects reproductive-aged women. Endometriosis has a prevalence rate of 20-50% in infertile women (Rawson, 1991; Strathy, 1982; Verkauf, 1987) and as high as 80% in women with chronic pelvic pain (Carter, 1994). Evidence of endometriosis was found during laparoscopy in 20-50% of asymptomatic women (Williams, 1977). Approximately 4 per 1000 women are hospitalised with endometriosis each year. A familial association exists, with a 10-fold increased incidence in women with an affected first-degree relative (Cramer, 1987). Monozygotic twins are markedly concordant for endometriosis (Hadfield, 1997).
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endometriosis
 |
Natural Supplement and Remedies for Endometriosis
Endometriosis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Endometriosis is a common medical condition characterized by growth of endometrial tissue, the lining of the uterus, beyond or outside the uterus.
Affecting an estimated 89 million women (usually around 30 to 40 years of age who have never been pregnant before, though it can occur in those that have) of reproductive age around the world, one in every 5 females get endometriosis. However, endometriosis can occur very rarely in postmenopausal women. An estimated 2%-4% of endometriosis cases are diagnosed in the postmenopausal period.
In endometriosis, the endometrium (from endo, "inside", and metra, "womb") is found to be growing outside the uterus, on or in other areas of the body. Normally, the endometrium is shed each month during the menstrual cycle; however, in endometriosis, the misplaced endometrium is usually unable to exit the body. The endometriotic tissues still detach and bleed, but the result is far different: internal bleeding, degenerated blood and tissue shedding, inflammation of the surrounding areas, pain, and formation of scar tissue may result. In addition, depending on the location of the growths, interference with the normal function of the bowel, bladder, small intestines and other organs within the pelvic cavity can occur. In very rare cases, endometriosis has also been found in the skin, the lungs, the eye, the diaphragm, and the brain.
Symptoms
A major symptom of endometriosis is severe recurring pain. The amount of pain a woman feels is not necessarily related to the extent or stage (1 through 4) of endometriosis. Some women will have little or no pain despite having extensive endometriosis affecting large areas or having endometriosis with scarring. On the other hand, women may have severe pain even though they have only a few small areas of endometriosis.
Symptoms of endometriosis can include (but are not limited to):
* Painful, sometimes disabling menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea); pain may get worse over time (progressive pain)
* Chronic pain (typically lower back pain and pelvic pain, also abdominal)
* Painful sex (dyspareunia)
* Painful bowel movements (dyschezia) or painful urination (dysuria)
* Heavy menstrual periods (menorrhagia)
* Nausea and vomiting
* Premenstrual or inter menstrual spotting (bleeding between periods)
* Infertility and sub fertility. Endometriosis may lead to fallopian tube obstruction. Even without this, there may be difficulty conceiving. In some women, sub fertility is the sole symptom, and the endometriosis is only discovered after fertility investigations.
* Bowel obstruction (possibly including vomiting, crampy pain, diarrhea, a rigid and tender abdomen, and distention of the abdomen, depending on where the blockage is and what is causing it) or complete urinary retention.
In addition, women who are diagnosed with endometriosis may have gastrointestinal symptoms that may mimic irritable bowel syndrome, as well as fatigue.
Patients who rupture an endometriotic cyst may present with an acute abdomen as a medical emergency. Endometriotic cysts in the thoracic cavity may cause some form of thoracic endometriosis syndrome, most often catamenial pneumothorax.
Frequency
In the US: Endometriosis occurs in 7-10% of women in the general population (Wheeler, 1989). It is an oestrogen-dependent disease and, thus, usually affects reproductive-aged women. Endometriosis has a prevalence rate of 20-50% in infertile women (Rawson, 1991; Strathy, 1982; Verkauf, 1987) and as high as 80% in women with chronic pelvic pain (Carter, 1994). Evidence of endometriosis was found during laparoscopy in 20-50% of asymptomatic women (Williams, 1977). Approximately 4 per 1000 women are hospitalised with endometriosis each year. A familial association exists, with a 10-fold increased incidence in women with an affected first-degree relative (Cramer, 1987). Monozygotic twins are markedly concordant for endometriosis (Hadfield, 1997).
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endometriosis
