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Index of Diseases and Conditions: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a problem affecting a woman's uterus - the place where a baby grows when she's pregnant. Endometriosis is when the kind of tissue that normally lines the uterus grows somewhere else. It can grow on the ovaries, behind the uterus or on the bowels or bladder. Rarely, it grows in other parts of the body.

This "misplaced" tissue can cause pain, infertility and very heavy periods. The pain is usually in the abdomen, lower back or pelvic areas. Some women have no symptoms at all. Having trouble getting pregnant may be the first sign.

The cause of endometriosis is not known. Pain medicines and hormones often help. Severe cases may need surgery. There are also treatments to improve fertility in women with endometriosis.

Endometriosis on Wikipedia

'''Endometriosis''' is a common medical condition where the tissue lining the uterus (the endometrium, from ''endo'', "inside", and ''metrium'', "mother") is found outside of the uterus, typically affecting other organs in the pelvis. The condition can lead to serious health problems, primarily pain and infertility. Endometriosis primarily develops in women of the reproductive age.

Symptoms

A major symptom of endometriosis is pain, mostly in the lower abdomen, lower back, and pelvic area. The amount of pain a woman feels is not necessarily related to the extent of endometriosis. Some women will have little or no pain despite having extensive endometriosis affecting large areas or endometriosis with scarring. On the other hand, women may have severe pain even though they have only a few small areas of endometriosis. Symptoms of endometriosis can include (but are not limited to): * Painful, sometimes disabling menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea); pain may get worse over time (progressive pain) * Chronic pain (typically lower back pain and pelvic pain, also abdominal) * Painful intercourse (dyspareunia) * Painful bowel movements or painful urination (dysuria) * Heavy menstrual periods (menorrhagia) * Premenstrual or intermenstrual spotting (bleeding between periods) * Infertility In addition, women who are diagnosed with endometriosis may have gastrointestinal symptoms that may mimic irritable bowel syndrome, as well as fatigue. Patients who rupture an endometriotic cyst may present with an acute abdomen as a medical emergency.

Epidemiology

Endometriosis can affect any woman of reproductive age, from menarche (the first period) to menopause, regardless of her race, ethnicity, whether or not she has children or her socio-economic status. Most patients with endometriosis are in their 20s and 30s. Rarely, endometriosis persists after menopause; sometimes, hormones taken for menopausal symptoms may ...   [ Read More ]

External Resources

Bioreflection Laboratory - Specializes in natural remedies for women's problems such as PMS, menopause, endometriosis, infertility, osteoporosis, fibroids and cysts.

IVF.com: Infertility, IVF, Endometriosis - An exceptionally informative page on in-vitro fertilization, including the cryopreservation of human oocytes (eggs) and embryos. Associated with Georgia Reproductive Specialists, Atlanta.

Praecis Pharmaceuticals Inc. - Develops peptide-based therapeutics for the treatment of human hormone diseases, prostate cancer endometriosis, and inflammatory diseases. Includes therapeutic targets and profile of facilities in Waltham, Massachusetts. (Nasdaq: PRCS)

Kathie's Pain - Endometriosis and PCOS Information - A medical scientist shares her own personal story and includes links about these disorders.

Urinary Problems in Women - FAQs about voiding pain and difficulties, blood in urine, frequent urinary tract infections, nighttime urinary urgency and incontinence and the influence of fibroids and endometriosis on urinary function.

Women's Reproductive Health - Provides information on all aspects of PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids, infertility, menopause and breast health. Medical resources as well as health experiences listed.

IVF Queensland Sunshine Coast - For ovarian cancer symptoms, endometriosis, conception pregnancy, artificial insemination, fertility, infertility and embryo development.

Boca Fertility - Infertility clinic in Boca Raton, offering IVF, treatment of endometriosis, reversal of tubal ligation, and procedures for male infertility.

Richmond Center for Fertility - IVF clinic providing in vitro fertilzation and infertility treatment, including care for endometriosis, sperm abnormalities, and female sterilization reversals. Located in Richmond, Virginia.

Center for Applied Reproductive Science - Comprehensive reproductive medicine resource for male infertility, female infertility, IVF, ICSI, tubal sterilization reversal, PCOS, and endometriosis. Extensive collection of educational materials in the C.A.R.S. Learning Center. Sam Thatcher MD, PhD director.

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