Often Severe Pain During Menstruation Beware of Endometriosis

Often Severe Pain During Menstruation Beware of Endometriosis

 

Menstrual pain during menstruation, it is natural for every woman to feel. However, when menstrual pain is severe enough to interfere with activities, it could be a red flag sign. It's time to consult a doctor.

Severe menstrual pain needs to be watched out for if it interferes with activities or requires pain medication. Such conditions can be a sign of a disease of the reproductive organs called Endometriosis.

The endometrium is the tissue that lines the uterine wall. Before menstruation, the endometrium thickens to become a place for the fertilized egg to attach. If the egg is not fertilized, the endometrium will shed, then leave the body as menstrual blood. Symptoms of endometriosis vary. Some women have severe symptoms, while there are some women who have no symptoms at all.

In endometriosis, the endometrial tissue that grows outside the uterus also thickens, but cannot shed and leave the body. This condition causes irritation or inflammation of the tissue around the endometrium.

The main symptoms of endometriosis include:

1. Pain in the lower abdomen or pelvis. Usually the pain will get worse over a period of time

     menstruation

2. Pain during or after sexual intercourse or dyspareunia

3. Pain when defecating or urinating during menstrual periods

4. Complaints in the digestive tract that are cyclic in menstrual periods such as:

     periodic bloating, diarrhea, or constipation

5. Infertility

6. In some cases also found heavy menstrual bleeding

7. Fatigue

8. Depression

The cause of endometriosis is not known for certain, but it is thought to be related to menstrual blood flow disorders, changes in other tissue cells into endometrial cells, and the migration of endometrial cells through the lymphatic system.

Until now the cause of endometriosis is still not known with certainty. There are several theories that explain the cause of endometriosis, but these theories have not been fully proven. One theory is retrograde menstruation. During menstruation, part of the endometrial tissue enters the abdominal cavity through the fallopian tubes, adheres to the peritoneal wall and develops into endometrial lesions. The role of the hormone estrogen is very important in this process. Therefore, most endometriosis therapy is aimed at decreasing the production of the hormone estrogen to relieve the symptoms of endometriosis.

Sometimes a female patient may have endometriosis without symptoms and it is not recognized until it is discovered during another examination. Patients with endometriosis are at risk for infertility or difficulty getting pregnant, so proper treatment is needed.

Endometriosis Treatment and Prevention

Treatment of endometriosis is by giving drugs to relieve pain, hormone therapy to inhibit tissue growth, and surgery to treat endometriosis that does not improve with other treatment methods.

Meanwhile, to avoid the risk of endometriosis, you can exercise regularly, maintain an ideal body weight, and reduce the consumption of caffeinated or alcoholic beverages.