What is endometriosis?

I'd like to talk about endometriosis.

Any woman would have heard of it at least once. I also vaguely remember what my mom said around me. Endometriosis in the uterus. adenomyoma of the uterus. Multiple myoma. I know there's more.

First of all, what is a uterus?

It is an institution in charge of pregnancy and childbirth functions and is located between the ovary and the ovary (napal tube) to implant and protect fertilized eggs. In other words, it can be seen as a house where fetuses grow. These uterus are largely divided into the body and neck, and each has different characteristics. First, the body part has thick tissue called the inner membrane inside, which repeats proliferation and elimination according to the menstrual cycle. At this time, bleeding occurs, which is menstruation.

 Conversely, the neck is connected to the vagina and serves to prevent bacterial invasion from the outside. Therefore, it should be kept clean at all times to prevent inflammation. For your information, normal menstruation usually lasts for 3-7 days every 28 days. If the period exceeds 7 days or if you have no menstruation for more than 2 weeks, you need to have an obstetric examination. In addition, vaginitis is also a common disease, and if left unattended, it can lead to pelvic inflammation, so be careful. Lastly, if you are a woman of childbearing age, it is recommended to have a regular checkup about once a year. This is because it is possible to detect and treat possible diseases early.

What is endometriosis?

Women's reproductive organs are largely composed of the uterus, ovaries (both sides), and the uterus is divided into the uterine muscle layer and the endometrium

Endometrial tissue that should be in the uterus exists in the abdominal cavity outside the uterus, and it is a common disease that occurs in about 10-15% of women in childbearing age. Endometriosis can occur in women of all ages, from the beginning of menstruation to menopause, and the main symptoms involved include severe menstrual pain, lower abdominal pain, and infertility. Although endometriosis is a very frequent disease, it is often difficult to accurately diagnose before surgery, and it is very difficult to treat because it recurs well and continues. The exact cause of endometriosis is not yet known, but it is believed to be caused by the following factors.

1. Backflow of menstrual blood

When a woman has menstruation, most of the menstrual blood is excreted through the vagina, but some of it flows back through the ovary and enters the abdominal cavity.

 

This is called "reverse planet menstruation," which is a universal phenomenon that occurs in almost all women. In most women, menstrual blood entering the abdominal cavity is removed from the abdominal cavity by the human immune system. However, in some women, menstrual blood cannot be removed from the abdominal cavity and grows in ovaries and other places in the abdominal cavity to form lesions, which is called "endometriosis."

2. Immunological factors

As mentioned earlier, retrograde menstruation, in which menstrual blood flows into the abdominal cavity, is thought to be a common phenomenon in almost all women. However, the reason why endometriosis occurs in some women is that it is accompanied by various causes, and immunological factors are also considered to be an important cause. In other words, in women with reduced immunological function, endometriosis is thought to occur due to retrograde menstruation.

3. Genetic factors

Endometriosis may occur in several members of a family and family, i.e., several sisters and mothers and children. Endometriosis is not a genetic disease caused by defects in certain single genes, such as hemophilia, but it is thought that genetic factors are clearly involved in the occurrence of endometriosis. Several genes are known to be involved in the development of endometriosis.

What about the symptoms?

Symptoms related to endometriosis include severe menstrual pain, chronic pelvic pain, and pain during sexual intercourse (sexual pain). Also, many patients who visit hospitals due to poor pregnancy are diagnosed with endometriosis.

If you have the following symptoms, you must visit the hospital for consultation on endometriosis.

Repeated chronic pelvic pain, menstrual pain, sexual dysfunction, primary or secondary infertility (endometriosis is more common in infertile women than in fertile women, and women complaining of endometriosis have reduced fertility). bowel movements immediately before or during menstruation. Symptoms of endometriosis that occurred outside the pelvis, namely pelvic pain and infertility, are said to be typical of endometriosis.

Diagnosis and examination

Endometriosis shows various symptoms depending on the location of the lesion, the invaded organs, and the degree of the lesion, so it is difficult to diagnose by listening to a medical history alone, and gynecological earthquake resistance is often necessary. 

However, in the case of patients complaining of pelvic pain or menstrual pain, detailed interviews such as the pattern and duration of pain are required. Currently, clinical tests used to diagnose endometriosis include asphyxiation ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, blood tests, and laparoscopic surgical tests. However, most cases of endometriosis are confirmed by laparoscopic examination so far.

As far as I know, there's an endometriosis procedure called Mirren. In the end, the most suitable treatment must be surgical.

Currently, diagnosing endometriosis is the most reliable method of direct confirmation through surgery and biopsy, and diagnostic laparoscopic surgery is the most commonly used. Endometriosis lesions vary widely in appearance, and typical lesions are characterized enough to be diagnosed only by visual examination, but atypical cases require a doctor with a lot of experience in diagnosing endometriosis. Endometriosis is classified according to the severity of the disease from stage 1 to stage 4 according to the scope of the lesion. For example, stage 1 and 2 endometriosis is not accompanied by adhesion and can show a characteristic lesion of dark chocolate color on the uterine wall, peritoneum, ovaries, etc. However, in the case of stage 3 and stage 4 endometriosis, it is common to observe the formation of lumps or adhesion of pelvic organs and intestines. However, the relationship between the stage of endometriosis and infertility or pain is not proportional, so a new stage system is under study.

Risk factors and prevention

The physical and environmental risk factors for endometriosis are known to be as follows through many studies around the world to date.

° If you have a family history of endometriosis

° In the case of disproportionately excessive follicular hormone among female hormones

° a woman between the perioperative and the perioperative

° If the menstrual cycle is short (less than 27 days), or if the menstrual period is long (more than 7 days)

° a large amount of menstruation

° a quick first sight

About treatment

Endometriosis is a disease affected by follicular hormones, so most drug treatments are hormone drugs that weaken the effects of follicular hormones. Drug treatment can be performed before and after surgery, and preoperative drug treatment can atrophy lesions and reduce surrounding inflammation, making surgery easier.

However, it can rather delay the timing of the surgery, and it is still unclear whether it is effective in reducing recurrence or pain. On the other hand, postoperative medication is proving to be effective in increasing pregnancy rates and slowing recurrence. Since endometriosis cannot be removed by medication alone, resection through surgery is the most important treatment, and supplementary medication after surgery is the most commonly used treatment now

Menstrual pain

To conclude, go to the hospital, get tested, and the only way out is treatment. You know that the last treatment is done by surgery. Laparoscopic surgery or a laparotomy to open the stomach. It goes like this.

There are cases of pregnancy after surgery. As long as the uterus is not lifted at all, there is a chance of pregnancy.

(For those of you who are sick reading this... Don't get depressed and feel like a bad girl. Don't be scared. I've researched it over the years, and I know quite a few people who have gotten pregnant from cafe datasheets! )

Honestly, women with uterine conditions have periods. My periods are painful and distressing, and my priority right now is to get on with my life. Isn't pregnancy after surgery a problem later on?

Wife of singer Shinhwa member Jeon Jin. She appeared on Statue of Liberty a few years ago and said she had endometriosis. I know she had a procedure, but not surgery. What was the procedure? Mirena? Or embolisation? I think it was something like that.

If you're sick, you're the one who feels sick, right? Prioritise treatment and don't be depressed~~~

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