We are facing a disease which has been described many times as silent, but it has a very high incidence in women who suffer from it: endometriosis. And we are talking about a condition that has an incidence of 1 in 10 womenand that even has a limiting component in the development of daily tasks. Despite everything, delay in diagnosis continues to be one of the big problems. “Endometriosis is a pathology highly underdiagnosed“explains Dr. Wolf DoveCoordinator of the Hysteroscopy and Endometrial Pathology Unit of the Infanta Sofía Madrid University Hospital, since “due to lack of knowledge, or sometimes even because underestimate your symptoms, Many women do not go to the doctor, even though the pain interferes with their daily lives. However, with an early diagnosis, we can address it jointly and improve their quality of life, as well as its possible consequences, such as infertility.” Therefore, we must pay close attention to the symptoms, to try to remedy them as soon as possible.
Common symptoms of endometriosis
We wonder, therefore, what are the most common symptoms with which the presence of endometriosis can be suspected. “The most common symptoms are usually pain during menstruation (dysmenorrhea), pelvic pain more or less cyclical or pain when having sexual relations with penetration (dyspareunia)”, the doctor tells us Carlota Vilarrubí Jordàgynecologist at the Dexeus Mujer center, specialist in endometriosis.
Less common symptoms
Are there other symptoms that may be less common, but that can also alert us to the presence of this disease? As the Dexeus doctor explains to us, some less common symptoms that can also make us suspect the pathology are:
- pain or discomfort when urinating (dysuria).
- Disorders of depositional habit (diarrhea or constipation)
- Pain when going to the stomach (dyschezia) especially when they are associated with specific moments of the menstrual cycle, predominantly during menstruation or ovulation.
Due to ignorance, or sometimes even because they underestimate their symptoms, many women do not go to the doctor, even though the pain interferes with their daily lives.
Can these symptoms be confused with other pathologies?
Dr. Vilarrubí tells us that all of these symptoms that we have listed are very general symptoms and that they can be associated with many other pathologies or none at all, so suspected endometriosis is relatively easy to detectbut the diagnosis must be carried out in specialized centers. What you should never do is underestimate the symptoms or get used to living with pain, normalizing it.
Why is there so much delay in diagnosis?
We were talking before about the long delay in the diagnosis of this ailment that makes the lives of women who suffer from it so much worse and that, on many occasions, is measured in years – it can take up to 7 years. “Many times, to confirm the diagnosis, multidisciplinary teams formed by gynecologists, radiologists and medical personnel who has experience in detecting this pathology. In our center we have a Unit specialized in Endometriosis that works in coordination with professionals from other specialties,” he indicates.
To confirm the diagnosis, multidisciplinary teams are required made up of gynecologists, radiologists and medical personnel who have experience in detecting this pathology.
Are there women at greater risk of suffering from it?
There are a series of risk factors that would increase the probability of suffering from the disease, and the doctor Núria BarbanyCoordinator of the Surgical Gynecology Section and member of the Dexeus Mujer Endometriosis Unit team, summarizes them in the following: family members who have suffered endometriosis, immune system alterations, short menstrual cycles, not having become pregnant, menarche (first period) at a young age, menopause at a later age, anatomical alterations that make it difficult to get menstruation, uterine malformations, high exposure to estrogens…
What is the treatment for endometriosis?
The treatment of endometriosis, as Dr. Vilarrubí Jordà explains to us, must always be focused globally since it is a disease that will accompany the patient throughout her fertile life: from the moment of its detection until menopause. “For this reason, we must take into account both the vital moment in which they are located and their future plans. Fertility preservation – egg freezing – or contraceptive treatments are some options indicated in the treatment of this disease,” he points out. And he adds that these same medications also make it possible to control its progression and improve the quality of life of patients, reducing pain.
“The surgery It is sometimes necessary even though over the years we increasingly restrict its indications, trying to be as conservative as possible in the long-term treatment of this disease,” he concludes.