What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis occurs when endometrial tissue, the tissue that lines the uterus and is shed during menstruation, grows outside of the uterus—on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, ligaments supporting the uterus, and other areas in the pelvic cavity. Endometriosis can also appear in a woman's bladder, bowel, vagina, or other places in her body.
Like the lining of the uterus, these areas of endometrial tissue respond to the hormones of the menstrual cycle—they build up tissue each month, then break down and bleed during menstruation. But unlike the uterus lining, when these endometrial implants (also called growths or lesions) outside the uterus bleed, they can irritate a woman's body.
What causes endometriosis?
Despite continued medical research and investigation, the exact cause of endometriosis is unclear. But, there are several theories, including:
The Retrograde Menstruation Theory
This is the most widely accepted theory for the cause of endometriosis. During "retrograde menstruation," a woman's menstrual flow backs up through her fallopian tubes, implants in her abdomen, and grows. Some experts believe that all women experience retrograde menstruation, but that women with endometriosis may have either a hormonal or an immune system problem, and as a result, the implants are allowed to grow.
The Genetic Predisposition Theory
This theory suggests that endometriosis may be inherited—a woman who has female relatives with endometriosis may be more likely to develop the condition herself.
Another theory suggests that endometrial tissue is distributed from a woman's uterus to other parts of her body by the blood or the lymphatic system.
Yet another theory suggests that endometriosis is caused by coelemic metaplasia, or cells transforming into endometrial cells, perhaps after stimulation by menstrual blood.
Endometriosis is one of the most common gynecological disorders. While it is more common for women in their 20s and 30s to have the disease, endometriosis can affect women at any time during their childbearing years. In fact, it is estimated that 5.5 million women in North America are affected by endometriosis. What does this mean to you? It means you are not alone.
What problems are caused by endometriosis?
71 to 87% of women studied with chronic pelvic pain were found to have endometriosis. Scar tissue buildup is thought to be a cause of chronic pelvic pain.
A woman may experience other symptoms including painful menstruation and pain during sexual intercourse.
Among infertile women, about 30 to 45% have endometriosis.
Western Medical Treatment
Lupron Depot® (leuprolide acetate for depot suspension) is used for the management of endometriosis, including pain relief and reduction of endometriotic lesions. The most common side effects with Lupron Depot are generally those related to low estrogen levels, including hot flashes, headaches and vaginal dryness. A small amount of bone loss (average 3.2% at month six) may also occur during therapy with Lupron Depot alone, but usually is partially or completely recovered after you stop taking Lupron Depot.
Women taking Lupron Depot plus norethindrone acetate 5 mg daily may experience hot flashes, headache, nausea/vomiting, depression/changes in mood, and weakness. Lupron Depot given with norethindrone acetate may lower your HDL-cholesterol level (the "good" cholesterol). Whether this change increases your long-term risk of heart disease is not known. Norethindrone acetate should be used with caution in women with cardiovascular risk factors including lipid abnormalities and cigarette smoking. Please refer to the norethindrone acetate prescribing information for warnings, precautions, contraindications, and adverse events.
Complementary medicine treatment
There is substantial evidence that immunological factors and angiogenesis (blood vessel formation), play a decisive role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. In women with endometriosis, there appears to be an alteration in the function of white blood cells that ingest foreign material called macrophages.
These white blood cells are key players in the immune response to foreign invaders such as infectious microorganisms. There also seems to be an increased level and activity of natural killer cells (A type of white blood cell that is capable of attacking any foreign invader in the body with lethal chemicals).
Furthermore, growth factors and inflammatory mediators in the peritoneal fluid, produced mainly by peritoneal macrophages, (eaters of enemy cells!) are altered in endometriosis, indicating a role for these immune cells and mediators in the pathogenesis of this disease.
This all means that 1). Endometriosis is an autoimmune disease and 2) Endometriosis is an inflammatory disease.
There is one potential cure for endometriosis and two certain ones. The one potential cure is giving birth. The two definite cures are hysterectomy and menopause. Of course the potential cure of giving birth is really a catch 22 situation because endometriosis itself can cause infertility.
Many people think that endometriosis causes infertility by its scarring of the tubes and obstruction of the ovaries. This is true. But, there is more to this story. How do you account for the reduction in fertility caused by endometriosis which is not causing damage to the ovaries or tubes? The infertility manifests as a result of the inflammatory chemicals that travel in the peritoneal fluids impairing the health of the embryo and the lining of the uterus thus rendering the women infertile.
So, the two most common complaints associated with endometriosis are 1) infertility and 2) very painful periods.
This article will focus on the pain issue.
Endometriosis causes lesions outside of the uterus which can be found on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, ligaments supporting the uterus, and other areas in the pelvic cavity. Endometriosis can also appear in a woman's bladder, bowel, vagina, or other places in her body.
These lesions are associated with inflammation. Just imagine this: the worst tooth-ache imaginable is caused by inflammation. So it is these inflamed lesions which are causing the pain.
Severity of Pain
The severity of pain also varies widely and is not related to the extent of the disease. A woman can have very small or few implants and have severe pain, while those with extensive Endometriosis may have very few signs and not suffer much pain. There is no logic as to how severe the pain of Endometriosis will be, but on the whole this disease causes a lot of pain for most women.
There is also the addition of emotional pain; the emotional distress caused by this disease and the emotional pain that many people do not take a woman’s Endometriosis pain seriously. The problem is that it is invisible. No-one can physically see what is wrong with you. On the outside you look perfectly normal. All these things simply build layer after layer of distress and misery. This is the reality for probably millions of women around the world today. And yet most of modern society views the idea of women’s pelvic pain as normal. NORMAL!!! That would be as insulting as saying that asthma is normal in children. Acupuncture and herbs can have a very calming and stress-reducing affect which will help you not to be in constant state of anguish over this illness. Remember, stress makes all illnesses worse.
So here are your choices: try getting pregnant and pray that the endometriosis self-cures; have a hysterectomy, or take Lupron. The side-effects of Lupron are outlined above.
Yet there are other options: dietary changes, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and Maya Abdominal Massage.
Acupuncture is the insertion of extremely thin, sterile needles into various acupuncture points located through the body. Acupuncture strongly increases the flow of energy and blood throughout the body. An increase in blood flow often serves to clear internal heat from the body and thus can help to reduce inflammation. Further, acupuncture releases beta-endorphins from the brain which are known as internal opioid-like substances. These substances are natural pain killers.
Many herbs have strong anti-inflammatory and pain reducing properties. The advantage of using both acupuncture and herbal medicine is that you are being treated from the outside in and from the inside out. Herbs also have a very stimulating effect on hemodynamics or blood flow, and as such may help to reduce the size and severity of endometriotic lesions, thus reducing pain. Herbs are totally safe, they have no side-effects and this combined treatment approach continues to show promising results.
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Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqXMtRk0ThI&list=PLH8cx7InwF-dBtYcJu2BXfXim8VXEOIvB&index=4&t=1s