In line with the RCY - SISC's ultimate goal to spread awareness with regards to various health-related conditions, illness, and news to individuals through the usage of social media platforms to restore a positive attitude towards all aspects of health and well-being, 3 groups from RCY have written short medical articles regarding the topics of following: Alzheimer’s Disease, Fire Prevention Month, and Endometriosis.
Endometriosis can be a very painful condition affecting roughly 10% of those of menstruating age that occurs when the tissue lining the uterus (the endometrium) starts to grow outside of the uterus. There is no definitive cause for endometriosis but possible explanations include immune disorders, cell transformation, and surgical scar implantation. Certain risk factors could also heighten your chances of having endometriosis such as starting your period at an early age, having heavy menstrual periods that last longer than 7 days, and having high levels of estrogen in your body. Growths commonly occur in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or tissue that lines your pelvis, in rare cases growths can be found beyond the pelvic region. Just like how every month the uterus lining thickens, breaks down, and bleeds, the same will occur where growths have formed, however, there won't be a way for the tissue to exit your body. Because of this cysts, scar tissue, and adhesions, which cause pelvic tissue and organs to stick together, can start to form. Excessive bleeding, pain during periods, intercourse, urination and bowel movements, and infertility are the most common symptoms, however, pain is not a reliable indicator of your condition and should always be checked by a doctor.
It can take a person 4 to 11 years after the onset of symptoms to get properly diagnosed with endometriosis as the condition is often mistaken for others. On both the cellular level and in terms of symptoms endometriosis can present similar to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome (IBS).\, or metastatic tumors. The failure to timely diagnose and the misdiagnosis of patients has led to a decrease in quality of life for those who have the condition. A lack of awareness of the condition also creates a burden on many adolescents as the pain they experience becomes associated with typical period cramps. This burden can also be extended to adults as they may be seen as overly dramatic or sensitive when expressing their symptoms as not only family members but medical professionals will deem their experiences typical period pain. Access to accurate diagnoses can also be a challenge for those of a lower socioeconomic background as the current gold standard for diagnosing endometriosis is laparoscopy. The surgical procedure allows surgeons to access the inside of the abdomen with the aid of a camera without making a large incision.
To make things worse, there isn't a way to prevent Endometriosis. However, you can lower the chance of developing the condition by lowering the hormone estrogen levels in your body; this can be done using birth control pills, patches, or vaginal rings with low doses of estrogen. Lowering the chance of developing the condition is exceptionally important because Endometriosis does not have a cure but only treatment options for related pain and infertility. Hormone therapy and surgical procedures are two options for Endometriosis pain relief. As for Endometriosis-related infertility, healthcare experts will propose a laparoscopy which is also used to remove or vaporize the growths to improve fertility in women with mild or minor Endometriosis. Although, if pregnancy does not occur after laparoscopic treatment, in vitro fertilization (IVF) may be the best option to improve fertility. However, not all treatments are effective for all women with Endometriosis. Therefore, healthcare providers consider several factors when determining the appropriate treatment for endometriosis symptoms, including age, the intensity of symptoms, the severity of the disease, and whether or not you desire children.
With all these mentioned, this condition that has no cure and no means of prevention requires an improvement to fight against it and save many women from suffering. Despite the fact that more people are aware of the condition nowadays, there is still a general lack of awareness around Endometriosis throughout society, including patients and even physicians. There is no doubt that understanding and having great knowledge about this condition can save more and more patients, by having the right treatment measures. And with this, it would be best if you do not disregard the Endometriosis Awareness Month this march because increasing awareness about Endometriosis can start with minor things like conversations and social media posts about it. According to Tamer Seckin, MD, an endometriosis excision specialist, co-founder of EndoFound with Padma Lakshmi, and member of Everyday Health's Wellness Advisory Board. "The best way to spread the word about the condition is, in general, to talk about it."
Sources
Myers, C. (2020, October 2). The ultimate guide to endometriosis misdiagnosis in 2020. Endometrix. Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://endo-metrix.com/endometrix-blog/2020/9/24/guide-to-endometriosis-misdiagnosis#:~:text=Common%20Misdiagnosis,and%20metastatic%20tumor%20(7)
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2018, July 24). Endometriosis. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/endometriosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354656#:~:text=Endometriosis%20
Office On Women's Health. (n.d.). Endometriosis. Endometriosis | Office on Women's Health. Retrieved March 28, 2022, from https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/endometriosis
Sims, O. T., Gupta, J., Missmer, S. A., & Aninye, I. O. (2021, August 3). Stigma and endometriosis: A brief overview and recommendations to improve psychosocial well-being and diagnostic delay. International journal of environmental research and public health. Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8346066/#:~:text=Stigma%E2%80%94whether%20internalized%20or%20in,a%20barrier%20to%20timely%20diagnosis
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). What are the treatments for endometriosis? Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Retrieved March 28, 2022, from https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/endometri/conditioninfo/treatment
WebMD. (n.d.). Endometriosis: Can it be prevented? WebMD. Retrieved March 28, 2022, from https://www.webmd.com/women/endometriosis/can-i-prevent-endometriosis
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