Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease in which the endometrium that normally lines the uterus grows in areas such as the fallopian tubes, the pelvis or the ovaries. No matter where it attaches, the endometrial tissue acts as if it were in the uterus by thickening and bleeding each month. Early stage symptoms of endometriosis can be mild or severe.
No Symptoms
Some endometriosis patients never experience any symptoms. They may find out about their condition accidentally after an operation performed for another medical condition. Some begin to suspect endometriosis when they cannot get pregnant. Occasionally, women think that being asymptomatic is a sign of a mild condition, but the absence of symptoms has nothing to do with the severity of endometriosis. It is possible to have early stage endometriosis with many symptoms, or advanced endometriosis that does not cause any symptoms.
Pain
The most common symptom caused by endometriosis is pain. The menstrual pain related to the condition is typically quite severe and can be felt not only in the uterus, but also in thighs, legs and lower back. Some patients say that this type of pain can start even two weeks prior to periods. According to Dr. P. Vercellini and colleagues, both menstrual pain and the pain in the pelvis outside of periods tends to get more severe as the condition progresses. They reported their findings in "Human Reproduction" in the August of 2006. Pain can also be felt during bowel movements, or intercourse but this type of pain is more common when endometriosis is beyond the early stages and has caused cysts or scars in these areas. Many patients experience pain during shaking movements, such as those caused by trains.
Bleeding
Menstrual bleeding is typically quite heavy in endometriosis patients. The cycle is often irregular and premenstrual spotting or prolonged bleeding are both common. Bleeding from the bladder or the bowel is also frequently reported.
Urinary and Digestive Tract Changes
Patients often report having chronic diarrhea or constipation even during the early stages of endometriosis. The frequency of urination might also be increased in these patients, as well as feeling tired and experiencing mood swings.
Infertility
Infertility is common among patients with endometriosis and can develop even during early stages. MayoClinic.com says it is the most significant problem associated with endometriosis, affecting up to one-half of sufferers. Scar tissue caused by endometriosis is a contributing factor to infertility as it can impair the movement of the woman's released egg, essentially trapping it near the ovary where fertilization can not occur.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Endometriosis
- Endometriosis.org: Symptoms
- Endo Resolved: Endometriosis Symptoms
- Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira: Current practice in the management of symptoms of endometriosis: a survey of Brazilian gynecologists
- Oxford Journals/Human Reproduction: Association Between Endometriosis ...
