The Channel 46
No-one knows your body better than you. You’re the one who feels every ache, pain and scratch and the one who knows when something is wrong. Yet women with severe pain just before, during, or after menstruation are often told that “it’s just in their head”. This debilitating pain can be a sign of endometriosis. Endometriosis affects one in 10 women. To shine a light on endometriosis during Endometriosis Awareness Month, TC46 connected with Feto-Maternal Medicine Specialist, Obstetrician & Gynaecologist Dr Hemavathi Srinvasan of Motherhood Hospitals, Bangalore. Here she talks about the correlation between PCOS and endometriosis, ways to manage the symptoms, home remedies and the complications endometriosis can cause.
With endometriosis, the endometrial-like tissue thickens, breaks down, and bleeds with each menstrual cycle, much like endometrial tissue does. However, since this tissue can’t leave the body, it gets stuck. Endometriomas are cysts that develop when endometriosis affects the ovaries. Endometriosis can be excruciatingly painful, particularly during menstruation. Fertility concerns can also occur. Efficient therapies are, thankfully, available.
Endometriosis has an uncertain cause. Several hypotheses have been proposed, including the following: Genetics: The disorder runs in families and affects people of various ethnic groups differently. When some of the womb lining passes up through the fallopian tubes and embeds itself on the pelvic organs rather than leaving the body as a cycle, this is known as retrograde menstruation. endometrium cells spreading through the bloodstream or lymphatic system, a series of tubes and glands that form part of the immune system, a concern with the immune system.
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) will develop a number of endometrial diseases as a result of their endocrinologic and metabolic abnormalities. Hyperandrogenism and hyperinsulinemia, both of which can be present in PCOS, can increase E2 levels indirectly, Reduced progesterone secretion and increased expression of growth factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) can have a significant effect on endometriosis incidence and progression. We assume that there may be a correlation between PCOS and endometriosis.
1. Monitor your symptoms using an app. Many period monitoring apps, such as Eve, let you rate the severity of your symptoms. Use this test to see how your period can affect your symptoms and pain. 2. Pursue a safe way of life. Taking care of yourself by not smoking, drinking in moderation, and avoiding drugs can keep your body in top shape. 3. Schedule ahead of time. You already know your body, and coping with endometriosis means you’re learning even more about it. On the days of your cycle where you think the symptoms will flare, give yourself extra time to get to activities and get ready for work.
1. Put a rice sock on your foot. Instead of using a heating pad, some women tend to use a rice sock. A mechanism to distribute heat to your aching muscles can be generated by filling a clean sock with uncooked rice and microwaving it for up to two minutes. 2. Taking baths in warm water. Warm baths can relax the muscles and alleviate cramping pain in the same way as dry heat can. 3. Keep yourself hydrated. Water can assist in the reduction of bloating and cramping. Dehydration may be a concern on extremely rough days.
The Channel 46