Endometriosis: Causes, Symptoms and How the Medical Condition is Diagnosed

Endometriosis is a medical condition that affects the female reproductive system. It occurs when the tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus, called endometrium, grows outside the organ, often on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or pelvic tissues. This misplaced endometrial tissue can cause pain, inflammation, and scarring, leading to a range of symptoms such as painful periods, pelvic pain, pain during sex, and infertility.

Endometriosis can affect any woman of reproductive age, from the onset of their first period (menarche) through menopause. While there is no cure for the medical issue, there are treatment options available to manage the symptoms and improve quality of life.

But first, it is crucial to understand the symptoms behind the condition and how it can be diagnosed.

Causes:

Endometriosis is a multifaceted illness that affects a significant number of women worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Although the exact cause of endometriosis is unknown, there are various factors that are believed to play a role in its development.

1. Retrograde menstruation is when the menstrual blood, carrying endometrial cells, flows back into the pelvic cavity through the fallopian tubes. This can cause the cells to be deposited outside the uterus where they can implant and grow.
2. Cellular metaplasia is when cells transform from one type to another. In this case, cells outside the uterus turn into endometrial-like cells, which start to grow.
3. Stem cells are capable of causing endometriosis, which then spreads through the body via blood and lymphatic vessels.

Symptoms:

According to the National Health Service, the symptoms of endometriosis are not always the same for every woman and can vary in their severity. Some women may experience significant symptoms, while others may not have any noticeable indications at all.

Endometriosis can cause pelvic pain or lower back pain, especially during periods. The pain can be severe enough to prevent normal activities. Pain during or after sexual intercourse is another common symptom, as is pain during urination or bowel movements during menstruation. Some women may also experience nausea, constipation, diarrhoea, or blood in their urine or stool during their period. Difficulty getting pregnant is another indication of endometriosis.

Heavy periods can be another indicator of endometriosis. In some cases, endometriosis can have a significant impact on a woman’s life and may lead to depression.

Diagnosis:

Doctors may suspect endometriosis based on the symptoms you report or medical examination findings. To confirm the diagnosis, they may use a few tools including laparoscopy and biopsy, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure in which a doctor makes a small incision in the abdomen and inserts a thin tube with a light and a camera to visualise the tissues around the uterus. This allows the doctor to examine the area for any signs of endometrial tissue growth.

A biopsy may be performed if the doctor detects suspicious tissue during laparoscopy. A small device is used to scrape off a few cells from the affected area, which are then sent to the laboratory for analysis. A pathologist examines the tissues under a microscope to confirm the diagnosis of endometriosis.