We are faced with a disease Which has been described many times silent, But it has a very high incidence among women who suffer from it: endometriosis. And we’re talking about a condition that has an event 1 in 10 womenAnd even in the development of everyday work it has a restrictive element. Despite everything, delay in diagnosis continues to be a major problem. “Endometriosis is a pathology Extremely underdiagnosed” explained Dr. wolf doveCoordinator of the Hysteroscopy and Endometrial Pathology Unit of the Infanta Sofia University Hospital Madrid, since “due to lack of knowledge, even sometimes because they underestimate their symptoms, many women do not go to the doctor, even though the pain interferes with them. Daily life however, with an early diagnosis , we can jointly deal with it and improve their quality of life, as well as its possible consequences such as infertility. Therefore, we must pay close attention to the symptoms, try to remedy them as soon as possible.
Common symptoms of endometriosis
We wonder, therefore, what are the most common symptoms with which the presence of endometriosis can be suspected. “The most common symptoms are usually menstrual pain (dysmenorrhea), pelvic pain More or less cyclic or pain During sex With penetration (dyspareunia), the doctor told us Carlotta Villarrubi ZordaGynecologist at Dexius Muser Center, specialist in endometriosis.
Less common symptoms
There are other symptoms that may be less common, but that can alert us to the presence of this disease? As Dr. Dexius explained to us, some of the less common symptoms that can make us suspect pathology:
- pain or Discomfort while urinating (dysuria).
- its disease Accumulation habit (diarrhea or constipation)
- Abdominal pain (dyschezia) especially when they are associated with certain moments of the menstrual cycle, mainly during menstruation or ovulation.
Due to ignorance, or sometimes even because they underestimate their symptoms, many women do not go to the doctor, even though the pain interferes with their daily life.
Can these symptoms be confused with other pathologies?
Dr. Villarruby tells us that all these symptoms that we have listed are very common symptoms and they can be associated with many other pathologies or none at all, so Diagnosing suspected endometriosis is relatively easyBut the diagnosis must be carried out Specialized Center What you should never do is underestimate the symptoms or get used to living with the pain, normalizing it.
© GettyWhy so late in diagnosis?
We were talking earlier about the long delay in the diagnosis of this disease which worsens the lives of women suffering from this disease and it is measured in years in many cases – it can take up to 7 years. “Often, to confirm the diagnosis, Multidisciplinary team formed by Gynecologists, radiologists and medical staff Those who have experience in identifying this pathology. At our center we have a unit specializing in endometriosis that works in coordination with professionals from other specialties,” he points out.
To confirm the diagnosis, a multidisciplinary team consisting of gynecologists, radiologists and medical personnel who have experience in identifying this pathology is needed.
Are women more at risk?
There is a series risk factors The chances of contracting the disease will increase and the doctor Nuria BarbaniDexius Mujer, coordinator of the Department of Surgical Gynecology and member of the endometriosis unit team, summarizes them as follows: family members with endometriosis, immune system changes, short menstrual cycles, not getting pregnant, menarche (first period) early age, late menopause, physiological changes Which makes menstruation difficult, uterine malformation, high exposure to estrogen…
What is the treatment for endometriosis?
The treatment of endometriosis, as Dr. Villarruby Jorda explained to us, should always be focused globally because it is a disease that Accompany the patient throughout her reproductive life: From the moment of detection to menopause. “For this reason, we have to take into account both the critical moment they are in and their future plans. Fertility preservation – egg freezing – or contraceptive treatment are some of the options indicated for the treatment of this disease,” he noted. And he added that these same drugs make it possible to control its progression and improve the quality of life of patients, reducing pain.
“surgery It is sometimes necessary although over the years we have increasingly limited its indications by trying to be as conservative as possible in the long-term treatment of this disease,” he concludes.
