ENDOMETRIOSIS
Endometriosis (en-doe-me-tree-O-sis) is an often-painful condition in which tissue that is similar to the inner lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus.
It often affects the ovaries, fallopian tubes and the tissue lining the pelvis. Rarely, endometriosis growths may be found beyond the area where pelvic organs are located.
Endometriosis tissue acts as the lining inside the uterus would — it thickens, breaks down and bleeds with each menstrual cycle. But it grows in places where it doesn’t belong, and it doesn’t leave the body.
When endometriosis involves the ovaries, cysts called endometriomas may form. Surrounding tissue can become irritated and form scar tissue.
Bands of fibrous tissue called adhesions also may form. These can cause pelvic tissues and organs to stick to each other.
Symptoms
Common symptoms of endometriosis include:
Painful periods. Pelvic pain and cramping may start before a menstrual period and last for days into it. You also may have lower back and stomach pain. Another name for painful periods is dysmenorrhea.
Pain with sex. Pain during or after sex is common with endometriosis.
Pain with bowel movements or urination. You’re most likely to have these symptoms before or during a menstrual period.
Excessive bleeding. Sometimes, you may have heavy menstrual periods or bleeding between periods.
Infertility. For some people, endometriosis is first found during tests for infertility treatment.
Other symptoms.
- You may have fatigue,
- diarrhea,
- constipation,
- bloating or nausea. These symptoms are more common before or during menstrual periods.
- endometriosis sometimes may seem like other conditions that can cause pelvic pain.
- These include pelvic inflammatory disease or ovarian cysts. Or it may be confused with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which causes bouts of diarrhea, constipation
- and stomach cramps.
- IBS also can happen along with endometriosis.
- This makes it harder for your health care team to find the exact cause of your symptoms.
Causes
The exact cause of endometriosis isn’t clear. But some possible causes include:
Retrograde menstruation. This is when menstrual blood flows back through the fallopian tubes and into the pelvic cavity instead of out of the body. The blood contains endometrial cells from the inner lining of the uterus. These cells may stick to the pelvic walls and surfaces of pelvic organs. There, they might grow and continue to thicken and bleed over the course of each menstrual cycle.
Transformed peritoneal cells. Experts suggest that hormones or immune factors might help transform cells that line the inner side of the abdomen, called peritoneal cells, into cells that are like those that line the inside of the uterus.
Embryonic cell changes. Hormones such as estrogen may transform embryonic cells — cells in the earliest stages of development — into endometrial-like cell growths during puberty.
Surgical scar complication. Endometrial cells may attach to scar tissue from a cut made during surgery to the stomach area, such as a C-section.
Endometrial cell transport. The blood vessels or tissue fluid system may move endometrial cells to other parts of the body.
Immune system condition. A problem with the immune system may make the body unable to recognize and destroy endometriosis tissue.
Diagnosis
Pelvic examination
Ultrasound
Laparoscopy
Risk factors
Factors that raise the risk of endometriosis include:
- Never giving birth.
- Starting your period at an early age.
- Going through menopause at an older age.
- Short menstrual cycles — for instance, less than 27 days.
- Heavy menstrual periods that last longer than seven days.
- Having higher levels of estrogen in your body or a greater lifetime exposure to estrogen your body produces.
- Low body mass index.
- One or more relatives with endometriosis, such as a mother, aunt or sister.
- Any health condition that prevents blood from flowing out of the body during menstrual periods also can be an endometriosis risk factor. So can conditions of the reproductive tract.
- Endometriosis symptoms often happen years after menstruation starts. The symptoms may get better for a time with pregnancy. Pain may become milder over time with menopause, unless you take estrogen therapy.
Complications
- Infertility
- Process of egg fertilization by sperm and implantation in the uterus
- Fertilization and implantation
- The main complication of endometriosis is trouble getting pregnant, also called infertility. Up to half of people with endometriosis have a hard time conceiving.
Ayurvedic View of Endometriosis
the condition can be correlated to “vataja yonivyapad”, which means vata dosha imbalance of the reproductive organs.
Vata dosha is one of the three dynamic energies in Ayurveda that governs the circulatory such as movement of vital fluids such as blood, air, and nutrients, throughout the body. A sub dosha of vata, “apana vayu” is responsible for the eliminatory functions of the body, such as bowel movement and outward flow of menstrual blood.
When vata dosha is imbalanced, it can cause a disruption in the normal movement and circulation of blood in the pelvic region. This disruption can lead to the accumulation of toxins and waste materials in the body, thus triggering development of endometriosis.
The Protocol for Endometriosis Ayurvedic Treatment
The first line of Endometriosis treatment is ‘Nidana Parivarjanam’ i.e. removal of the root cause. As we saw, vata imbalance triggers and spreads Endometrial implants. Therefore, Ayurvedic treatment for Endometriosis focuses on following steps involving vata dosha balance and fertility support:
- Vata anuloman – Regulate apana vayu downward flow with herbal medicines, panchakarma and basti chikitsa, in specific uttar basti.
- a Treatment for Granthi/ gulam– Shrink endometrial cysts and remove chocolate cysts
- Shophhar chikitsa – Improve immune system response and remove inflammation in endometriosis
- Raktaprasadan – Improve circulation through pelvic cavity and remove the blockades for proper menstruation
- Rasayana chikitsa – Rejuvenate the reproductive system for fertility and vitality
