news

when it comes to gynecological diseases, what you may hear most often are diseases such as "cervical erosion" and pelvic effusion that do not require treatment or even "do not exist."

there is a gynecological disease that really needs attention.it is closely related to dysmenorrhea, infertility, miscarriage, abdominal pain, and cysts., but it has not been known by the majority of women.

a foreign patient once described this "common disease you've never heard of" at a ted forum:

this disease isendometriosis(hereinafter referred to as endometriosis).

it is generally believed thatabout 10% of women of childbearing age worldwide have varying degrees of endometriosis.in addition, the prevalence of endometriosis has been reported to be as high as 50% in infertile women and as high as 70% in adolescent or adult women with pelvic pain. ^[1], and the incidence rate has shown a clear upward trend in recent years.

but what is surprising is that such a common disease is rarely taken seriously or even never heard of.

the endometrium is originally the normal tissue inside the uterus. it undergoes periodic changes under the influence of hormones. when it sheds and bleeds, "menstruation" is formed.

endometriosis, in simple terms, isendometrial tissue appears in areas of the body other than the uterine lining。

although the endometrium is normal tissue,but when it gets outside the uterus, it can implant, invade, and metastasize to distant sites, just like a malignant tumor.therefore, endometriosis is also called the "benign cancer" of gynecology.

endometrial tissue can invade almost any part of the body.

it will not only appear in the nearby ovaries, fallopian tubes, and intestines, but also in the kidneys, lungs, pleura, and even the brain and limbs...

it would be fine if it was just running around, but the biggest problem with endometriosis is that no matter where the endometrial tissue grows, it will peel off and bleed due to hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle.

to put it simply: wherever it grows, there will be menstruation.

if it is in the rectum or bladder, it can cause bloody stools or bloody urine during menstruation; if it grows in the lungs or nasal cavity, it will cause coughing up blood or nosebleeds during menstruation.

however, in parts such as the ovaries, menstrual blood has no way to be discharged and can only accumulate in the body.

for example"chocolate cyst" is an ectopic disease that occurs in the ovarythe blood clots accumulate and the color looks like melted chocolate, which is why it is named this way.

what’s more painful is that most endometriosis patients will suffer from severe dysmenorrhea.

about 90% of common dysmenorrhea in women is primary dysmenorrhea, which does not affect health.another 10% is "secondary dysmenorrhea" caused by disease, with endometriosis being the most common cause.。

the pain of endometriosis is dull pain or cramping in the pelvis, which often occurs 1 to 2 days before menstruation, lasts throughout the menstrual period, and may even last for a few days after the menstruation ends.

and depending on the location of the endometrial tissue invasion, the range of pain will be wider than dysmenorrhea, you may experience pain when urinating, pain in the anus, intestinal cramps, pain during sexual intercourse, chest pain, abdominal pain, etc.

this kind of torture is hard to understand for those who have not experienced it.

patient an jing described the impact of endometriosis on her in her self-report "painful past: my 11 years with endometriosis":

in addition to bleeding and pain, endometriosis may also affect fertility.

data shows that the infertility rate of endometriosis patients can be as high as 40%.the reasons may be changes in the pelvic environment, abnormal endometrial metabolism, adhesions of ovarian and fallopian tube tissues, etc. a considerable number of patients are diagnosed with endometriosis because they cannot get pregnant.

in addition, endometriosis may also be associated with the occurrence of spontaneous abortion.

a study with a follow-up period of 30 years found that the risk of miscarriage in early pregnancy was significantly higher among 5,375 pregnant women with endometriosis than among 8,280 healthy pregnant women in the same period. domestic studies have also found that pregnant women with endometriosis have a significantly increased risk of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy in early pregnancy. ^[2]

the excruciating pain once a month and the uncertain impact on fertility, endometriosis is like a shadow that covers the patient's life.

but its harm is far more than just physical torture.

due to lack of understanding, patients with endometriosis often face a very difficult and tortuous diagnosis process.

according to statistics,it takes an average of 7 to 12 years from the first symptoms of endometriosis to final diagnosis and treatment.^[1]。

some women, not knowing that their "dysmenorrhea" is actually caused by illness, have been silently enduring it as a normal phenomenon. others, because endometriosis has similar symptoms to many gynecological and gastrointestinal diseases, have been mistaken for appendicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, enteritis and other diseases, and have received many ineffective treatments.

delayed diagnosis will not only affect the control of the disease, but will also have a serious impact on life, work, and even mental health.

a study across ten countries showed that the impact of endometriosis on women's health-related quality of life, as measured by the short form health survey (sf-36v2), is significant:four weeks before surgery, their quality of life scores were as low as those of women with cancer.^[3]

in 2020, the uk appg released its latest report on endometriosis. among the more than 10,000 women surveyed, 81% said that endometriosis had a very negative impact on their mental health, while 90% wanted to get psychological support but did not get it, and 89% felt isolated because of endometriosis.^[4]

on one hand, the prevalence rate is as high as 10%, and on the other hand, there is a lack of awareness of seeking help and medical treatment. as a result, countless women with endometriosis struggle in pain and let the disease drag down their lives.

and this can be changed.

although endometriosis cannot be prevented or cured so far, it can be controlled.

timely detection and early treatment can effectively control the progression of endometriosis and reduce adverse effects such as pain., to prevent adhesion, rupture, enlargement, etc. in the later stage, which may cause more serious consequences such as organ damage, menstrual disorders, infertility, and miscarriage.

there is no unified treatment plan for endometriosis. it is usually necessary to take short-acting contraceptives, hormone suppression drugs, or undergo surgical treatment under the guidance of a doctor based on individual circumstances.

most patients can achieve good results after targeted treatment.

knowing what endometriosis is, intervening early and reducing diagnosis time may help many women avoid the suffering of the disease and have a better quality of life and higher life achievements than they do now.

if you suffer from significant dysmenorrhea that cannot be relieved for a long time, or have infertility, sexual discomfort, or other symptoms related to the menstrual cycle, please consider the possibility of endometriosis and seek medical attention in time;

if there is a woman around you with similar symptoms, please remember to remind her.

everyone’s voice is important. every sharing and discussion may save a woman from unknown illness.