Suffering from Endometriosis

If you have ever suffered from Endometriosis, you know how painful it can really be. Endometriosis is sometimes mistaken for other conditions that can cause severe pelvic pain. It may be confused with Pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cysts, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, and general abdominal cramping. The pain associated with Endometriosis can be mild to severe. It normally gets worse over time without treatment.

Some women don't even know they have Endometriosis until it is discovered during a non related operation, such as a Tubal Ligation. Other women may experience some of the following signs and symptoms: Painful periods. Pelvic pain and cramping may begin before your period and last for several days after your period has started. You may have also have lower back pain. Pain at other times, such as during ovulation. You may experience sharp pain deep in the pelvis during intercourse, or pain during urination or a bowel movement.

Excessive bleeding may occur during your period or bleeding between periods. Endometriosis may make it hard to get pregnant if you are trying.

The pain that you experience does not determine the severity of Endometriosis. But pain usually increases over time.

What causes Endometriosis? During your period, hormones signal the uterus to thicken in order to prepare for a possible pregnancy. If pregnancy does not occur, hormone levels go back down, causing the thick lining to shed. This starts the bleeding that women recognize as their periods. When the tissue is sent elsewhere in the body, it continues to do its part and thickens, breaks down and bleeds every month. Because there is nowhere for the blood to be discharged from, the blood becomes trapped and surrounding tissue can become irritate. Overtime, the trapped blood can turn into cysts. Cysts can form scar tissue and adhesions. This can cause pain in the area of misplaced tissue, usually in the pelvic area, that will be worse during a women's period.