Treating the pain of endometriosis – . Health Blog

Many women experience years of painful menstrual periods before they get an answer to what causes them: a common and often undiagnosed condition called endometriosis.

What is endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a condition that occurs when tissue similar to the tissue that lines a woman's uterus – called the endometrium – begins to grow elsewhere in the body. Most often these growths are in the basin, e.g. B. on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, the outer surface of the uterus or the bladder.

During the menstrual cycle, the tissue that lines the uterus thickens each month and then breaks down as blood leaking through the vagina. The unpredictable tissue growth of endometriosis reacts to the same hormones as the lining of the uterus. But instead of flowing through the vagina as a menstrual period, blood from the tissue growth has nowhere else in the body to go. It builds up around nearby organs and tissues, irritates and inflames them, and sometimes causes scars. In addition to pain, endometriosis can cause other symptoms, such as bowel and bladder problems, heavy periods, sexual discomfort, and infertility.

Diagnosing endometriosis can take time

In some cases, diagnosis of endometriosis is delayed as adolescents and adult women assume that their symptoms are a normal part of menstruation. Those seeking help are sometimes dismissed as overreacting to normal menstrual symptoms. In other cases, the condition may be confused with other medical conditions, such as: B. pelvic inflammatory disease or irritable bowel syndrome.

A study by the World Endometriosis Research Foundation found that in women aged 18 to 45, there was an average delay of seven years between the first symptoms and the time of diagnosis. Most cases are diagnosed when women are between 30 and 40 years old. According to the Endometriosis Foundation of America, the problem of accurate diagnosis and treatment is even worse for some minority groups, including black and indigenous people.

Endometriosis relief

While there is no known cure for endometriosis, the good news is that medication, surgery, and lifestyle changes can help you find relief and manage the condition.

Your doctor may recommend one or more treatments to help relieve pain and other symptoms. These include:

• Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs). These can be either prescription or over-the-counter formulations, including ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve), which are used for pain relief.
• Hormone therapies. Because endometriosis is controlled by hormones, adjusting the levels of hormones in your body can sometimes help relieve pain. Hormonal drugs are prescribed in a variety of forms, from pills, vaginal rings, and intrauterine devices to injections and nasal sprays. The goal is to change or stop the monthly cycle of egg release that is causing much of the pain and other symptoms associated with endometriosis.
• Acupuncture. This is an alternative medical treatment that uses small needles on specific areas of the body to help relieve chronic pain.
• Pelvic floor physiotherapy. This exercise addresses problems with the pelvic floor, a cup-shaped muscle group in the pelvis that supports the bladder, intestines, rectum, and uterus. Pelvic pain sometimes occurs when the muscles of the pelvic floor become too tense, causing muscle irritation and muscle pain known as myofascial pain. To treat myofascial pain, a specially trained physical therapist uses her hands to perform external and internal manipulations on the pelvic floor muscles. Relaxing contracted and shortened muscles can help relieve pain in the pelvic floor, just like other muscles in the body.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy. Another option for treating pain is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Although few studies have looked at the effects of CBT on endometriosis symptoms, it has been used to successfully treat other conditions that cause chronic pain. CBT is based on the idea that healthier thought patterns can help reduce pain and disability, and help people cope better with pain.
• Coping with stress. Experiencing chronic pain can cause stress, which can increase pain sensitivity and create a vicious circle. Because stress can make pain worse, stress management is an important part of endometriosis management.
• Lifestyle improvements. Maintaining a regular exercise regimen, a healthy sleep schedule, and a healthy, balanced diet can help you better manage and manage the stress associated with your endometriosis.
• Surgery. Your doctor may recommend surgery to remove or destroy abnormal tissue growth to improve your quality of life or your chances of conceiving. Some studies have shown that removing growths of abnormal tissue and scar tissue caused by mild to moderate endometriosis can increase the chance of pregnancy.

Ultimately, it can take time to find the right combination of treatments to relieve pain and manage this condition. However, if you work closely with your doctor, the more likely you will be able to do this.