|
|
|
Understanding Endometriosis
The uterus (womb) contains a lining which is referred to as the endometrium. This special lining grows in the uterus each month for the purpose of nourishing a fertilized egg. The endometrium also provides nourishment for the developing fetus. The endometrium grows in the uterus each month in responce to a complex cycle of hormones. If the endometrium is not used, then it will be shed through menstruation. Endometriosis occurs when endometrial tissue grows somewhere OUTSIDE of the uterus - usually elsewhere in the reproductive tract (i.e. on the ovaries). Endometriosis occurs most often in females of childbearing age.
A Symptoms Checklist
- Do menstrual cramps cause you to miss work or other activities every month?
- Have your menstrual cramps become more severe over time?
- Do you experience menstual cramps in the middle of your cycle?
- Are your cramps intensified by urination or strained bowel movements?
- Do specific physical movements cause pelvic pain?
- Have you experienced lower back pain prior to or during menstruation?
- Do nausea, vomiting or intestianl upset accompany your cramps?
- Have you miscarried more than once?
- Have you experienced over a year of unsuccessful pregnancy attempts?
- Does pain accompany or follow intercourse?
- If so, when is it more prominent, certain times of the month or in certain positions?
- At what are did you begin to have menstual cramps?
- Describe the way the pain feels. (i.e. throbbing, sharp, constant, right through to your back?)
- What can/do you do to ease the pain?
- What activities make the pain more prominent?
|
|