Endometriosis is a disease that affects 1 in 10 women of reproductive age. Endometriosis may show symptoms at different levels depending on the tissue it is located. Medical science cannot yet give clear answers to the cause of endometriosis. There are various accepted theories about this disease. The most important of these theories is that the endometrium, which is the intrauterine tissue that is shed as menstruation during menstruation, flows from the tubes in the opposite direction into the intra-abdominal cavity and causes disease in these regions.
REASON NOT EXPLAINED
However, almost 90% of women have a retrograde menstrual state physiologically. In other words, in this case, the reason why some women develop endometriosis, while others do not, cannot be explained clearly. Gynecological Oncology Specialist Assoc. Dr. İlker Kahramanoğlu gave information about the subject.
THE CAUSE OF ENDOMETRIOSIS IS UNKNOWN
The exact cause of endometriosis is unknown. However, in molecular studies, it has been determined that various genetic changes affect the formation of endometriosis disease. These studies tell us that existing genetic disorders may be acquired or may be innate genetic changes. Therefore, if you have a mother or sister who is suffering from endometriosis, your risk of developing endometriosis is increased.
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT ENDOMETRIOSIS
Approximately 70% of female patients with endometriosis can conceive naturally. The remaining 30% can become pregnant spontaneously after an ideal surgical procedure. Rarely, patients may need infertility treatment. Moreover, the success rate of IVF treatment after endometriosis is high. One of the common misconceptions among the public is that pregnancy cures endometriosis. During pregnancy, women’s complaints caused by endometriosis may be alleviated temporarily. However, this does not mean that endometriosis will go away as a spontaneous treatment.
Endometriosis is a treatable disease. There are 3 different treatment alternatives in this regard.
- Operation
- Hormone-containing drugs
- pain relievers
It is very important that patients who are suitable for the conditions of the surgery prefer experienced surgeons for endometriosis surgery to be performed with the laparoscopic method. Because endometriosis operations are operations that require advanced technique and are performed according to oncological surgical principles. One of the points to be considered at this stage is to take care of the health of the ovaries while removing all tissues involved with endometriosis. It should be known that if only the cyst of endometriosis patients is removed, their symptoms will not disappear after the surgery. It is important to completely remove the tissues involved with endometriosis, which causes pain.
PAIN SHOULD NOT BE PART OF ROUTINE LIFE
The growth and spread of endometriosis is estrogen dependent. For this reason, we prefer drugs that reduce or stop estrogen production in patients we refer to medical treatment. The drugs I’m talking about are birth control pills, gestagen-containing drugs, or GnRh analogs. Pain becomes part of the routine life of women with endometriosis. Taking painkillers all the time, unfortunately, can cause the pain to rise to higher levels in the future. Women do not have to live with the chronic pain they are exposed to. There are also rare patients who have had endometriosis treatment but still have pain. Pain therapy can be arranged for people in this situation with a multidisciplinary approach. As a result, the management of each patient with endometriosis should be tailored to that individual. It is important that patients who are offered surgery are managed by experienced surgeons.