For a long time, pain during your menstrual cycle was considered "normal." Today we know this isn't the case: when the pain becomes disabling, preventing you from going to work, school, or carrying out normal daily activities, it could be a warning sign of a chronic condition called endometriosis.
This is a complex condition that it affects many women of childbearing age, but which unfortunately still suffers from a significant delay in diagnosis. Recognizing the symptoms and knowing which tests to follow is the first, fundamental step in regaining control of one's quality of life.
What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a chronic progressive inflammatory diseaseTo understand it, however, a preliminary explanation is necessary. The endometrium is the tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus and which, in the absence of pregnancy, sheds every month, causing the menstrual cycle. In endometriosis, this tissue develops outside the uterus, positioning itself on other organs such as the ovaries, tubes, peritoneum or, in more complex cases, the intestine and bladder.
The problem is that this "out of place" tissue behaves exactly like the uterine tissue: under the influence of monthly hormones, it bleeds. However, since it has no way out, the blood causes chronic inflammation, adhesions and, consequently, a often very intense pain.
How it manifests itself: the symptoms to pay attention to
Endometriosis can present differently from woman to woman, but the most common signs include:
- very strong menstrual pain (dysmenorrhea): a pain that does not go away or does not go away completely with common painkillers and that forces you to stay in bed
- pain during sexual intercourse: located deep in the pelvis
- pain during urination or defecation: which often become more pronounced during the days of menstrual flow
- chronic pelvic pain: a feeling of strong discomfort or heaviness that persists even outside of the cycle
- schronic tiredness and difficulty conceiving: constant inflammation can cause a strong feeling of exhaustion and, in some cases, make it difficult to get pregnant.
Tests for a correct diagnosis
If you recognize yourself in these symptoms, it is essential not to wait. Diagnosis starts with a thorough gynecological examinationDuring the evaluation, the specialist may use targeted diagnostic imaging tests:
- Second level transvaginal pelvic ultrasound: performed by expert gynecologists, it allows us to identify endometriotic cysts on the ovaries or deep endometriosis nodules and precisely map the extent of the pathology, even to other organs (rectum, bladder, ureters, vagina)
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the Pelvis: an alternative test to level II ultrasound, especially useful for investigating the possible involvement of the pelvic nerves.
How to treat and manage it
Since it is a chronic disease, the main objective is turn off inflammation, block the progression of the tissue and, above all, eliminate pain to restore well-being to the patient.
Strategies vary depending on age, the intensity of symptoms, and whether or not a woman wants to become pregnant:
- hormonal therapies: the use of hormonal contraceptives (estrogen-progestin or progestin pill, ring) allows the ovaries to be "put to rest", reducing or blocking the cycle and, consequently, the bleeding of ectopic lesions
- integrated therapeutic approach: a correct anti-inflammatory diet and a healthy lifestyle significantly support the reduction of pelvic pain
- integrated physiotherapy approach: a pelvic floor rehabilitation program is often essential to reduce contractures and hypertonicity of the pelvic muscles, thus improving chronic pain, pain during intercourse and pain during evacuation and urination
- surgery: reserved for the most severe cases (organ damage) or those resistant to medical therapies, it is preferably performed laparoscopically (a minimally invasive technique) to remove abnormal tissue while preserving fertility as much as possible.
Endometriosis is not just a “stomach ache”, but a condition that deserves attention. listening, compliance and medical management qualifiedStopping tolerating the pain and relying on women's health specialists allows you to address the condition promptly, avoiding future complications and dramatically improving your daily life.
Do you suffer from severe menstrual pain or need a thorough gynecological checkup? At the HUB Outpatient Clinic in Vicenza, the Gynecology clinic offers highly experienced specialists to guide you through the diagnosis and management of endometriosis: Dr. Giorgia Poppi – Specialist in Gynecology and Obstetrics, Dr. Piergiorgio Rosenberg – Specialist in Gynecology and Obstetrics, Dr. Sabrina Scalchi – Specialist in Gynecology and Obstetrics, Dr. Francesca Vettorato – Specialist in Gynecology and Obstetrics, Dr. Carlo Zanni – Urogynecology.
Book your gynecological check-up online or call us at 0444 251922. HUB Outpatient Clinic: your health comes first, always.
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