women s health issues
Endometriosis
Symptoms of Endometriosis
The main symptom of endometriosis is Pain in the lower abdomen and pelvic area ( Pelvic Pain in Women ) The pain usually varies during the Menstrual Cycle , worsening before and during menstrual periods. Menstrual irregularities, such as heavy menstrual bleeding and spotting before menstrual periods, may occur. Misplaced endometrial tissue responds to the same hormones— The severity of endometriosis symptoms does not depend on the amount of misplaced endometrial tissue. Some women with a large amount of tissue have no symptoms. Others, even some with a small amount, have incapacitating pain. In many women, endometriosis does not cause pain until it has been present for several years. For some women, sexual intercourse tends to be painful before or during menstruation. Symptoms also vary depending on where the endometrial tissue is located. Possible symptoms by location include Large intestine: Abdominal bloating, pain during bowel movements, diarrhea or constipation, or rectal bleeding during menstruation Bladder: Pain above the pubic bone, pain during urination, urine that contains blood, and a frequent and urgent need to urinate Ovaries: Formation of a blood-filled mass (endometrioma), which sometimes ruptures or leaks, causing sudden, sharp abdominal pain The misplaced endometrial tissue and its bleeding may irritate in nearby tissues. As a result, scar tissue may form, sometimes as bands of fibrous tissue (adhesions) between structures in the abdomen. The misplaced endometrial tissue and adhesions can interfere with the functioning of organs. Rarely, adhesions block the intestine. Severe endometriosis may cause infertility when the misplaced tissue blocks the egg's passage from the ovary into the uterus. Mild endometriosis may also cause infertility, but how it does so is less clear. During pregnancy, endometriosis may become inactive (go into remission) temporarily or sometimes permanently. Endometriosis tends to become inactive after menopause becauseestrogenandprogesteronelevels decrease. 