40’s Women Common Conditions - Endometriosis
December 11th, 2007 Posted by: Dr. Cox
Endometriosis is a condition which the tissue that lines the endometrium grows outside the uterus and other areas.
The misplaced tissue causes pain and infertility if it grows and causes blocks in the fallopian tubes and ovaries.
Endometriosis is common in childbearing-aged-women from the age of 20 to 50 plus years. But the peak age for endometriosis is women in the 40s usually.
Endometriosis Symptoms
Very painful menstrual crampsPeriod pains getting worse over timeHeavy prolonged periods, bleeding between periodsIntestinal pain and painful bowel movements or urination during periodsPain in the lower back and pelvisPain during or after sex
Risk Factors
The likelihood of developing endometriosis is higher in those who:
began getting periods at an early agehave heavy periodshave periods that last more than 7 dayshave a short monthly cyclehave a primary relative who suffers from endometriosis
Causes Of Endometriosis
The cause of endometriosis is unknown. However, conventional medicine has been researching and are looking at a few possible options:
A small amount of menstrual blood travels backwards through the fallopian tubes into the pelvic cavity instead of flowing out of the vagina as usual. Endometrial cells in the blood than produce endometrial tissue outside of the uterus. This occur in only some women and this is process is still not understood. Studies suggest that it might be related to the functionality of the immune system.The bloodstream transfer the endometrial cells from within. Endometrial cells can be isolated from the blood in the blood vessels and this would explain cases of endometriosis found in obscure sites such as the lung.
Endometriosis is associated with liver stagnation in traditional chinese and oriental medicine. Recent studies implicated exposure to dioxins, environmental pollutants and xenohormones to both liver health and endometriosis independently. A compromised liver will in a way weaken the immune system, which is one of the factor implicated in endometriosis.
Women often rely on painkillers and other drugs to cope with menstruation pain. Non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs are the most damaging classes of drugs, especially to the liver and kidneys, contribute to the worsening of endometriosis in the long-term.
Treatments For Endometriosis
Depending on the severity of the condition and whether the woman wants to get pregnant, conventional treatment for endometriosis is based on prescription medications or surgery. Hormone medications in the form of combination birth control pills are used to treat the progression of endometriosis itself.
However, both prescription medications and hormonal treatments are only a temporary solution and can cause adverse side-effects including irregular bleeding, thrombosis, menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, reduced bone density and vaginal dryness.
Traditional Chinese Medicine has the potential to cure the condition and prevent future recurrence rather than just suppressing the symptoms by treating the underlying cause of the endometriosis which is a poorly functioning liver.
Endo-Ex work by fundamentally changing the functioning of the liver and female reproductive system. The main ingredients are herbs known for their liver strengthening and hormone balancing properties such as Chasteberry, Milk Thistle, Dong Quai and Chinese Yam. It offers a safe and healthy solution without exacerbating the condition as with conventional treatment.
Other treatment includes surgery, which may regard as either conservative or radical. In conservative surgery (laparoscopic) growths and scar tissues are removed without harming the healthy tissues surrounding them. Radical surgery (hysterestomy) is usually reserved for severe cases or in women who do not wish to become pregnant.