Endometriosis is a benign disease that mainly affects women of childbearing age. It is a disease in which the cells of the endometrium (endometrium: Tissue lining the inner cavity of the uterus) grow outside the uterus, in various parts of the abdomen, such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterine peritoneal ligaments, bowel, bladder and ureters, while less commonly, foci of endometriosis occur in the diaphragm, abdominal wall, nerves, lung and elsewhere.
Endometriosis is a hormone-sensitive disease, mainly influenced by estrogen, which explains the exacerbations of the disease during the anaparagogue period when estrogen levels are high and its remission after menopause, when estrogen levels are low.
The presence of ectopic foci causes a local inflammatory reaction resulting in the presence of pain and the formation of adhesions between the organs involved.
The main symptoms of the above clinical conditions are:
- Dysmenorrhoea: severe abdominal pain just before and during the period
- Dyspareunia: pain during sexual intercourse
- Infertility
- Menstrual disorders, especially in cases with Adenomyosis
- Dyschezia: pain during defecation or presence of blood in the stool
- Dysuria: pain during urination and even haematuria
According to research, in the majority of cases, it takes about 8 years from the appearance of the first symptoms to diagnosis, which has social implications, as this condition negatively affects the health, quality of life, sexuality and fertility of these women.