Could endometriosis be the cause of your pains during your period?

One of the most common complaints of endometriosis, defined as the endometrium tissue that under normal conditions lines the inside of the uterus being located in a different area of the body, is feeling severe pain during the period. This tissue, which undergoes changes under the effect of hormones and which, when a pregnancy occurs, thickens and forms a comfortable shelter for the baby, is, when there is no baby, expelled every month through the bleeding of the period and thickens again under the effect of hormones until the next period. Because it is a disease stimulated by the oestrogen hormone, it can recur many times until women enter the menopause. In endometriosis, in advanced stages, continuous lower abdominal and groin pains are seen. In 75 per cent of women who come to the clinic with a complaint of pelvic pain there is a possibility of endometriosis. In endometriosis, which causes severe pain during the period, there is in fact no relationship between the severity of the pain and the degree of the disease. Just as a mild degree of endometriosis can cause severe pain, in a case of advanced endometriosis very mild period pain can be seen or there may be no pain at all. Along with this, the pains beginning earlier and lasting longer can indicate that the stage of the disease has advanced. The pains that begin a few days before the period become more severe with the menstrual bleeding. Severe pains that do not respond to painkillers can continue throughout the bleeding. This distress, accompanied by groin and lower back pain, can spread towards the legs. Endometriosis, which turns the period into a nightmare, significantly lowers the quality of life. The person withdraws from their social life, cannot do sport, and has difficulty concentrating at work or at school. Some patients may spend the period in bed because of these pains and may feel the need to use a great deal of painkillers. Endometriosis can also cause pain during sexual intercourse. Contrary to what is thought, irregular periods are not a very frequently encountered situation. However, in women with endometriosis, irregular and heavy bleeding can be seen. Dark-coloured (brownish) spotting is seen before the period. In fact this spotting is bleeding. The form of the groin pain varies according to the location of the deep endometriosis. There can be very severe period pain, pain in the back passage and urinary tract complaints. In some patients diarrhoea, bleeding from the back passage and constipation can be seen. The right thing is for the diagnosis to be made and the treatment planned without losing much time. As with all diseases, early diagnosis is very important for endometriosis too.