FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of your uterus grows on other parts of your body. When this tissue grows in the wrong places, it can cause you to experience uncomfortable symptoms that can impact your daily life. Some people with endometriosis also have issues getting pregnant.
The endometrium is the inner lining of your uterus. This tissue is what you shed during a menstrual period. Think of endometrium as layers of tissue that build up along the inside lining of your uterus. When you have a period, these layers fall away from the walls of your uterus and leave your body. If you get pregnant, the endometrium helps support the early phases of development.
When you have endometriosis,
endometrial-like tissue grows on other
organs or structures. This tissue can grow
within your abdomen, pelvis or even chest.
This tissue is hormonally sensitive and can become inflamed during your menstrual cycle. These areas of endometrial-like tissue can cause ovarian cysts, superficial lesions, deeper nodules, adhesions (tissue that connects your organs and binds them together) and scar tissue within your body.
Endometriosis is a condition that most commonly impacts people between the ages of 25 and 40. It can also happen to younger people during their teenage years. Although many people find relief from endometriosis symptoms after menopause, it can still cause discomfort and pain.
Sites of Enometriosis
Common sites Rare and remote sites
• Ovaries • Umbilicus
• Pelvic peritoneum • Abdominal scars
• Pouch of Douglas • Episiotomy scar
• Uterosacral ligaments • Lungs
• Recto-vaginal septum • Pleura
• Sigmoid colon • Ureter
• Appendix • Kidney
• Pelvic lymph nodes • Arms
• Fallopian tubes • Legs
• Nasal mucosa
Causes
The cause of endometriosis is unknown. When you have endometriosis, tissue similar to the lining of your uterus grows in the wrong places. When it develops in places like the outside of your uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, intestine and within your pelvic cavity, it can cause painful symptoms. This pain is related to increased inflammation and often fibrosis and adhesions.
When endometrial-like tissue grows outside of your uterus, it can cause scar tissue (adhesions). These sections of scar tissue can fuse your organs — creating connections between them that normally wouldn't be there. This can lead to discomfort and pain.
Risk Factors
There are some factors that can place you at a higher risk of developing endometriosis. These factors can include:
Family history of endometriosis.
The age you first start having periods. People who begin menstruating before age 11 may be at a higher risk.
The length of your menstrual cycle (shorter time between periods) and the duration of flow (how many days of bleeding).
Defects in your uterus or fallopian tubes.
Symptoms
The age of patients is between 30-45. The patients are mostly nulliparous or have had one or two children long years prior to appearance of symptoms.
About 25 per cent of patients with endometriosis have no symptom, being accidentally discovered either during laparoscopy or laparotomy.
Symptoms are not related with extent of lesion. Even when the endometriosis is widespread, there may not be any symptom; converesely, there may be intense symptoms with minimal endometriosis.
Depth of penetration is more related to symptoms rather than the spread. Lesions penetrating more than 5mm are responsible for pain, dysmenorrheoa and dyspareunia.
The symptoms are mostly related to the site of lesion and its ability to respond to hormones. Midline lesions are more symptom producing. Degree of pain is not related to the severity of endometriosis.
Dysmenorrhoea (70%)
There is progressively increasing secondary dysmenorrhoea. The pain starts a few days prior to menstruation; gets worsened during menstruation and takes time, even after cessation of period, to get relief of pain, (co-menstrual dysmenorrhoea). Pain usually begins after few years pain-free menses. The site of pain is usually deep seated and on the back or rectum.
Abnormal menstruation (20%)
Menorrhagia is the predominant abnormality. If the ovaries are also involved, polymenorrhoea or epimenorrhagia may be pronounced. There may be premenstrual spotting.
Infertility (40-60%)
Whether endometriosis causes infertility or infertility produces endometriosis is not clear. Endometriosis is found in 20-40 per cent of infertile women, whereas in about 40-50 per cent patients with endometriosis suffer from infertility.
Dyspareunia (20-40%)
The dyspareunia is usually deep. It may be due to stretching of the structures of the pouch of Douglas or direct contact tendrness. As such, it is mostly found in endometriosis of the rectovaginal septum or pouch of Douglas and with fixed retroverted uterus.
Chronic Pelvic pain
The pain varies from pelvic discomfort, lower abdominal pain or backache.
Abdominal pain
There may be variable degrees of abdominal pain around the periods.
Treatments
Endometriosis being a common condition in females has great scope in homeopathy as Homoeopathy acts deeply on the reproductive organs of body. Homeopathy helps in regulating the disturbed hormonal levels and also helps in curing the abnormal tissue growth in the body. This condition is uncured has severe complications in future which is prevented by homeopathy.
Homoeopathic Medications which cures these patients are cimicifuga, Sabina, platinum metallicum etc.
