Endometriosis & Pain Management Techniques

Endometriosis is a leading cause of gynecological concern in the United States. For many women, the symptoms of endometriosis vary but all state there is one underlying factor which inhibits activities of daily living; pain. As a sufferer of endometriosis, understanding the underlying cause of the gynecological condition, and the ways in which pain can be managed, will work to improve the condition and restore, to some extent, the daily functioning.

Endometriosis is a gynecological condition affecting more than six million women in the United States. The complication is generally described as the growth and presence of endometrial tissue at times and in bodily locations not considered a normal and natural process. Most often, the pain and symptoms associated with endometriosis is the direct result of endometrial tissue that has grown and attached to areas outside of the uterus. As a result, the hormonal fluctuations of a woman’s body leads to the complication of endometriosis as the endometrial tissue enlarges, swells and presses against the abdominal wall. Complications are further enhanced by the inability of this displaced endometrial tissue’s inability to exit the body as normal endometrial tissue does during the menstrual cycle.

So, what type of pain is most common? For many women, endometrial pain is most notable in areas such as the vaginal canal where displaced endometrial tissue may develop at the back of the vagina. This pain, in and off itself, can lead to complications during sexual activity and even during bowel movement. What is commonly misunderstood is the coorelation between pain and the endometriosis. For many women, the displacement of endometrial tissue may be significant but the associated pain may be relatively mild while the reverse may also be true.

Achieving pain management in the endometriosis patient is usually, first, by removing the endometrial tissue. For many women suffering from this gynecological condition, surgery is the only option to begin the pain managmenet process. Once surgery is complete, and most of the endometrial tissue is removed, many patients, still suffering from residual endometrial tissue, will require the use of drugs used to control the hormones that influence the activity of the endometrial tissue. Such prescription drugs might include hormone halting drugs such as Danazol or Lupron. In some women, birth control pills are also effective and controlling endometriosis pain.

For over-the-counter relief women with endometriosis also turn to the use of NSAIDs as a viable alternative form of treatment. Controlling inflammation and prostagladins, NSAIDs work to improve the pain associated with endometrial tissue although they are not a full proof effective way in which to remedy the complication.

As with any gynecological complication, women suffering from endometriosis should discuss the complication with a gynecologist in an effort to create the best opportunity for pain relief. With most women requiring surgery as a form of pain relief, this otpion should be considered immediately and seriously with other forms of treatment used as secondary approaches to treating endometrial pain after surgery.