According to Sean D. Beaty, Alvin C. Silva and Giovanni De Petris in a 2006 article in the journal "Radiology Case Reports," bladder endometriosis accounts for about 6 percent of all cases of endometriosis. In this condition, the endometriosis tissue attaches to the bladder wall and can cause significant urinary complications. For some patients, the symptoms of bladder endometriosis can be cyclic with the menstrual cycle; however, around 60 percent of people with bladder endometriosis present with non-cyclic symptoms.
Pain During Urination
A common symptom in women who have bladder endometriosis is pain during urination, according to The Merck Manuals. These symptoms can be mild or severe and may be associated with the menstrual cycle. The pain may appear at the beginning of urination or at the end, according to Joseph Krotec and Sharon Perkins in the book "Endometriosis for Dummies." The skin and tissue of the pelvis over the bladder may also be tender to the touch.
Blood in the Urine
Endometriosis of the bladder can lead to blood in the urine, according to The Women's Surgery Center website. Typically the endometrial tissue has to be inside of the bladder to cause bleeding and this bleeding typically coincides with the menstrual cycle. This condition may cause a varied amount of blood in the urine; the blood may not be visible to the naked eye and may require a urine test to measure, according to Krotec and Perkins.
Urinary Frequency
Another symptom of bladder endometriosis is urinary frequency, according to the Women's Surgery Center website. The endometriosis irritates the bladder wall and creates a feeling of needing to urinate, according to Krotec and Perkins. The bladder does not have to be full before the woman feels the need to urinate again.
Obstruction of the Ureter and Urethra
The tissue in endometriosis may grow around the ureter and compress or obstruct the tube, according to the Women's Surgery Center website. Urine won't be able to get past this obstruction and may back up into the kidney. This urine back-up can cause kidney damage is not treated. According to Krotec and Perkins, bladder endometriosis may also block the urethra and make it difficult to completely empty the bladder.
References
- Women's Surgery Center: What is Endometriosis?
- Women's Surgery Group: Endometriosis Overview
- Endometriosis Health Guide; Common Symptoms Of Bladder Endometriosis
- Center for Endometriosis Care; Ask the CEC
- "Endometriosis for Dummies;" Joseph Krotec, Sharon Perkins; 2007.
