Archive for April, 2007
Misconceptions of Endometriosis
The gender issues and the complex nature of endometriosis have led to the creation of a variety of myths and misconceptions about the condition. This article highlights some of the most common and gives some ideas in their origins.
Period of pain is normal
Although the attitudes toward women improved during the twentieth century, some of the old beliefs still persist unconsciously, and affecting doctors the attitudes of the profession toward the allegations of women, including its period of pain. As a result, at the same time seeking help for the period of pain, many women with endometriosis is said to them that his (serious) period of pain is ‘normal’,'part of being a woman’, or ‘that is in your head.’ Others have said that have ‘a low pain threshold’, or are “insufficient psychologically”.
Many women and girls experience pain at the time of the period. However, a pain that interferes with daily life is not normal, and is often due to the presence of an underlying condition, as the endometriosis. Any girl or woman with severe pain period must be investigated to determine the cause of their pain. Many doctors still believe that the endometriosis is very rare in adolescents and young women. Accordingly, it is not considered feasible a diagnosis of endometriosis when they complain of symptoms such as periods very painful pelvic pain and intercourse painful.
Unfortunately, this belief is a remnant of earlier times. Before the introduction of the laparoscopy in the 1970S, endometriosis could be diagnosed only during a laparotomy, major surgery with the participation of an incision in the abdomen of 10-15 cm. By the risks and costs of a laparotomy, were often practice only as a last resort in women with more serious symptoms. As only women 30 or 40 years were operated, the disease only was in the women of that age. It was only with the introduction of the laparoscopy in the 1970S and 80 that began the diagnosis of the disease in women at the end of its 20 and early 30s, the group of age under investigation. Therefore, reviewed the typical age range for endometriosis within this period.
The idea that the endometriosis can be found in adolescents and young women came as a result of the investigation by the National Council of Endometriosis and their support groups. All groups in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia conducted surveys to its members in mid 1980. The surveys wondering what had experienced in their first symptoms of endometriosis and when they had been diagnosed. The study done by our Association, while revealed that nearly 60 percent of the women had been diagnosed among 25 and 35 years, 43 per cent had experienced its first symptoms in adolescence.
Fortunately, the results of the investigation drew the attention of some eminent gynecologists in the 1990S. Dr. Marc Laufer of Children’s Hospital in Boston, conducted surveys in adolescents with chronic pelvic pain. One of these studies showed that the adolescents whose chronic pelvic pain was not alleviated by a pill oral and an anti-inflammatory, such as Ponstan, had a high prevalence of endometriosis, as high as 70 per cent. Similarly, a team led by Dr. David Barlow and Dr. Stephen Kennedy at the University of Oxford, England, conducted a study of diagnosis of women in the United States and United Kingdom. It was found that the average was 22 years, from among a range of 10-46 years. Thus, was found that adolescent girls and young women in their first 20 years, in reality are not too young to have endometriosis.
Hormonal Treatments to treat the condition
The synthetic drugs such as hormone pills Provera, Danazol and Zoladex have been used for many years to treat endometriosis. However, most recently, have become increasingly clear that these hormonal treatments do not have any long-term effect on the disease itself. Suppressed (calm) symptoms, but only while these medications are used. Once the use of these is suspended, the symptoms come back. This means that the hormonal treatments do not have a role in the treatment to eradicate the endometriosis. If the eradication of the disease is desired, the surgery performed by a gynecologist with extensive expertise and experience in the techniques used for endometriosis, is the only medical treatment effectively. It also means that the hormonal treatments should not be used to improve the chances of conceiving. Not only have no effect on the disease itself, but also reduce the time available to conceive, because the design is not possible while taking the pills. If treatment is necessary, surgery by a gynecologist specialist is essential.
Does the pregnancy cure endometriosis?
Fortunately, the myth that pregnancy cure endometriosis is slowly disappearing. However, do not fast enough! The reality is that the pregnancy – as the hormonal treatments in pills- generally removes the symptoms of endometriosis, but does not eradicate the disease itself. Therefore, symptoms recur after the birth of the child. The majority of women may delay the return of the symptoms by means of breast-feeding, but only while breastfeeding is sufficiently frequent and intense to remove the menstrual cycle.
The endometriosis invariably cause infertility
Too Many young women have the impression that have endometriosis means that invariably will be infertile. The Association has sought little by little to demystify and reassure the young women who have received this impression by their doctors. To some adolescents, from the age of 18 years they have been told “Go to find a husband and have children as soon as possible, because if you do now, they never gain”.
Unfortunately, there is no reliable statistics that indicate the percentage of women with endometriosis will have no problems to have children, or will find it difficult for them. Therefore, it is impossible to give women a reliable indication of their chances of fertility problems. However, in general, it is believed that the likelihood of fertility problems increases with the gravity of the disease. Many women with endometriosis are not going to have children. Gynecologists in general believe that the 60-70 percent of women with endometriosis are fertile. In addition, they say that about half of women who have difficulty to conceive finally do with or without treatment.
The assertion that the scarring of the fallopian tubes for the endometriosis is a common cause of infertility appears ever more frequently in the publications. The authors of this type of publications tend to be the people who have little understanding of the condition.
Are confusing the causes of endometriosis associated with the infertility. The reality is that the implants endometrial rarely found in the fallopian tubes. Therefore, endometriosis generally does not cause scarring of the same or infertility due to the scarring of the fallopian tubes. The mechanisms for resolving the causes of infertility related to the endometriosis are still unknown to a large extent, despite years of research. May take years or even decades before the enigma of the infertility by endometriosis are resolved.