Normal Cramps or Endometriosis?

If you have such bad cramps you've calling out of work, school, or take a half of bottle of advil be the week's end...

you may have Endometriosis

What is it?

Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue that forms the lining of the uterus, called the endometrium, grows in places in the body other than the uterus. Endometrial tissue outside the uterus responds to changes in hormones. It breaks down and bleeds like the lining of the uterus during the menstrual cycle. The breakdown and bleeding of this tissue each month can cause scar tissue, called adhesions, to form. Adhesions can cause pain. Sometimes, adhesions bind organs together. Endometriosis also may lead to infertility

In addition to pain during menstruation, the pain of Endometriosis can occur at other times of the month, or for other physical or chemical reasons. There can be pain with ovulation, pain associated with adhesions or caused by inflammation in the pelvic cavity, and during bowel movements. It can sometimes occur during urination, as well as during general bodily movement i.e. exercise, from standing, and the final insult, pain with intercourse. But the most desperate pain is usually with menstruation and many women dread having their periods.

Symptoms of endometriosis can include:

• Very painful menstrual cramps; increasingly worse over time
• Chronic pain in the lower back and pelvis
• Pain during or after sex
• Intestinal pain
• Painful bowel movements/urination during menstrual periods
• Spotting or bleeding between menstrual periods
• Infertility or not being able to get pregnant
• Chronic Fatigue
• Severe bloating, or nausea

Recent research shows a link between other health problems in women with endometriosis and their families. Some of these include:

• Allergies, asthma, and chemical sensitivities
• Autoimmune diseases, in which the body’s system that fights illness attacks itself instead. These can include hypothyroidism, multiple sclerosis, and lupus.
• Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia
• Being more likely to get infections and mononucleosis 
• Mitral valve prolapse, a condition in which one of the heart's valves does not close as tightly as normal
• Frequent yeast infections
• Certain cancers, such as ovarian, breast, endocrine, kidney, thyroid, brain, and colon cancers, and melanoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Diagnosis:

The only sure way to tell if endometriosis is present is by looking directly inside the body. This can be done by laparoscopic surgery.