What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis occurs when cells similar to those found in the womb's lining are found elsewhere in the body. It is usually found in the abdomen or pelvis but in rare cases can be found elsewhere. These cells react like womb cells during the menstrual cycle, meaning that they build and then bleed, but the blood they release has nowhere to go, causing inflammation and scarring inside the body. Sometimes these cells attach to the ovaries, causing cysts called endometrioma or more commonly, "chocolate cysts", due to the thick, dark, chocolate-like fluid they contain.
What are the symptoms of endometriosis?
Symptoms can vary, with some women experiencing very few symptoms while others are badly affected, including the possibility of having difficulty conceiving. It's not unusual to feel fatigued; there can be pelvic pain which may be severe, and radiate towards your lower back and thighs. It may also be painful during and after sex as well as when going to the toilet. Sometimes there are symptoms related to your bowels, such as rectal bleeding, constipation, diarrhoea, nausea and bloating. Periods can become irregular and very heavy, with some light bleeding between periods. If an ovarian cyst has formed, the symptoms will be the same, but if the pain becomes sudden, sharp and severe, this could mean that the cyst has ruptured and may require urgent medical attention.
What are the treatment options for endometriosis?
There is currently no cure for endometriosis, but there are ways to control it and improve your quality of life. Painkillers can be used to suppress the pain to a more manageable level, while some patients find that the contraceptive pill can work to make periods shorter and lighter. Others have the Mirena coil fitted, which releases progestogen into the body over five years, thus reducing the impact of periods and sometimes stopping them altogether. Injections of progesterone work in a similar way by preventing ovulation, meaning that endometrial growth is suppressed.
In some cases, it is necessary to perform a laparoscopy which is the only way to definitively diagnose endometriosis. It also means that surgical removal of the endometriosis lesions can be surgically removed laser ablation can be used to remove the endometrial growths. In extreme cases, it may be necessary to have a hysterectomy, but this is not a guaranteed cure. If an ovarian cyst has formed due to the endometriosis, surgery is required to remove it as it will not respond to hormone treatment.
Get in touch
Cheryl Wood
info@lancashiregynaecologist.co.uk
Call
Appointments department
Spire Fylde Coast Hospital
St Walburgas road
Blackpool
FY3 8BP