Most women go through painful periods they know little about. Though these symptoms can be ignored, Ulas Bozdogan, MD, an expert in endometriosis and fibroids, advises that you should visit your doctor when menstrual pain is excessive or if you start experiencing endometriosis-like symptoms like spotting or severe cramping that come during and after menstruation. Though endometriosis has no permanent cure, the specialists at Advanced Endometriosis Center have state-of-the-art treatments to help relieve your pain.
What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis occurs when uterine tissue lining begins to grow outside the uterus. Mostly, the endometrium grows on the ovaries, on the fallopian tubes, or outside the uterus. These tissue growths portray different symptoms and vary in size, depending on their location. The growth rates of the tissue are different for each person and also fluctuate with hormonal level changes. Endometriosis mostly occurs in women during their reproductive years but stops when the woman nears menopause. The condition may go unnoticed in some cases, as mild cases of endometriosis do not have symptoms.
What are the signs and symptoms of endometriosis?
Endometriosis is often confused for other conditions including pelvic inflammatory disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and ovarian cysts. Endometriosis may be challenging to diagnose as IBS and endometriosis symptoms coincide. Though the condition may be challenging, your chances of successful treatment depend on the time of diagnosis. You should contact your doctor when you notice the following symptoms:
- Low back pain experienced before and during menstruation
- Blood in the urine or bowel
- Unusual pain during bowel movements
- Severe cramping
- Infertility
- Painful intercourse or vaginal bleeding following intercourse
- Abnormal periods including spotting between periods
- Pelvic pain
While some women may relieve endometriosis symptoms with hormone replacement therapy, fertility treatments like IVF may be considered, and pain can be managed by medication. Some people occasionally find relief by getting the growths removed using surgical procedures, minimally-invasive techniques, or robot-assisted surgery.
What are fibroids?
Fibroids are tissue muscles that grow in the uterus. Though fibroids are not cancerous, they can grow out of size. Though endometriosis and fibroids experts do not know what causes fibroids, these muscle tissues start growing during childbearing years, when hormonal fluctuations start, and end when a woman nears menopause, and estrogen levels decline.
What treatment options are there for fibroids?
Though fibroids can grow back, their regrowth likelihood depends on your original method of treatment. Each treatment, however, has its pros and cons and is reviewed through a physical examination. Fibroid treatments options include:
- Hormone therapy
- MRI-guided focused ultrasound
- Uterine artery embolization
- Minimally-invasive techniques
What is a robotic hysterectomy?
Hysterectomy is a surgical procedure that either removes the whole uterus or parts of the uterus. Contrary to the large incisions done in traditional hysterectomy, minimally-invasive techniques use smaller incisions. These incisions are either done on the lower abdomen or through the vaginal wall, with no incision.
Do not suffer from endometriosis symptoms and pains when you can get help from a skilled endometriosis and fibroids specialist at Advanced Endometriosis Center. For more information on endometriosis, book an appointment online or call and talk to your doctor.