Are you worried about too heavy periods, pain in the lower abdomen before or during them? You should not attribute everything to stress or hormonal disruptions, because sometimes these are signs of a disease such as endometriosis, and only an experienced doctor can identify it. Goodshapetips and a dermatovenerologist tell readers what endometriosis is and whether it can be cured.
In modern society, taking care of your health has been on the list of “trends of the season” for many years. The 21st century is the century of preventive medicine.
Unlike our grandparents, dads and moms, we understand that it is much easier to prevent a disease than to treat an already developed disease.
The main doctor for every girl, starting from puberty, is a gynecologist.
Unfortunately, quite often a visit to a specialist leaves not the most pleasant impression.
The situation in which a set of unfamiliar letters is written in the “diagnosis” column, and the doctor does not even try to explain their meaning, I am sure, is familiar to many.
In this article, we will talk about one of the most common diseases that gynecologists face in their practice – about endometriosis.
And we will try to tell about this disease so that it is clear to any of our readers.
Diagnostic manipulations
Diagnosis “endometriosis” – what does it mean?
Endometriosis was not known as an independent disease for a long time.
To this day, it remains one of the most common and mysterious diseases of the female reproductive system, and also one of the most dangerous, as it is the cause of infertility.
The very word “Endometriosis” comes from the name of the inner layer of the uterus – the endometrium. Discharge during menstruation is nothing more than rejection of the endometrium.
In endometriosis, tissue similar in structure and function to the endometrium extends beyond the uterine cavity.
Allocate genital (that is, spreading to the genitals – the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, vagina, etc.) and extragenital (spreading to the abdominal organs) endometriosis.
Genital endometriosis, in turn, is divided into external (endometriosis of the cervix, ovaries, fallopian tubes, etc.) and internal (endometriosis of the body of the uterus).
The clinical signs of endometriosis are varied.
The most characteristic are pain in the lower abdomen before and during menstruation; discomfort and pain during sexual intercourse; violation of the menstrual cycle – the appearance of spotting before and after menstruation, or, conversely, heavy menstruation.
Complex of therapeutic measures
Diagnosis of endometriosis
Despite the development of modern medicine and a huge number of diagnostic methods, the diagnosis of endometriosis is still difficult for doctors, since its symptoms can be similar to other diseases of the reproductive system.
First of all, perform ultrasound diagnostics, which allows you to see suspicious lesions in the fallopian tubes, ovaries, peritoneum, bladder and other organs.
However, the disadvantage of the method is the inability to recognize small endometriotic lesions.
The most informative at present, the so-called The “gold standard” in the diagnosis of endometriosis is diagnostic laparoscopy with mandatory biopsy. (a research method in which tissues are taken from the body and then examined under a microscope).
Let’s talk a little about this method. Laparoscopy is a modern surgical method in which operations on internal organs are performed under general anesthesia, but through small (usually 0.5-1.5 cm) openings, while conventional surgery requires large incisions.
Inside the patient’s body, the doctor works with special manipulators and controls his actions thanks to a microvideo camera, which is inserted into one of the incisions.
Thus, this type of surgical intervention is less traumatic than traditional surgical ones.
It should be noted that – as for any procedure – for laparoscopic surgery There are indications and contraindications.
Laparoscopy allows not only to make a diagnosis, determine the extent of the process, assess the condition of the fallopian tubes, but also, if necessary, to carry out microsurgical treatment of pathology.
In this case, it will be called diagnostic and treatment.
An additional diagnostic method is computed tomography (CT).
Treatment of endometriosis
It can be divided into 3 groups:
one – conservative (that is, without the use of surgery),
2 – surgery,
3 – a combination of conservative and surgical methods.
Conservative treatment consists in the appointment of hormonal drugs different groups.
Surgical treatment may be different in volume, depending on the prevalence of the process and associated complications (presence of adhesions, etc.).
With surgery, the removal of the endometrioid focus, dissection of adhesions can be performed.
If necessary, the operation may remove the ovaries, and sometimes the uterus.
Currently more and more experts point to the need for combined treatment with the use of both hormonal therapy and surgical treatment, as it is most effective.
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So, if you suffer from painful menstruation, disturbed menstrual cycle, you have pain in the lower abdomen during sexual intercourse or at rest, do not postpone a visit to the doctor!
The sooner a doctor diagnoses and prescribes treatment, the more effectively and, as a rule, easier you will cope with the disease.
Remember: even the absence of symptoms does not mean complete health. A visit to a gynecologist at least once a year should be on the list of necessary planned events for every modern lady.
Be healthy!
M. Yu. ZOLOTOVA,
dermatovenereologist
