Menopausal Endometriosis

Endometriosis often ends during menopause, but there are cases where endometriosis during menopause becomes severe. All cases develop in their own, unique way, so a woman with this disease needs personal medical help to deal with the problem.

Endometriosis is a tissue that occurs outside the uterus. It is a chronic and painful disease that can last a lifetime. In this article, we will tell you more about the symptoms of endometriosis and a possible treatment.

What is endometriosis?

Endometriosis tissue, or endometrium, usually becomes thicker and causes bleeding with each menstrual cycle. However, some tissues behave like endometriosis when a woman suffers from that disease. Unfortunately, they have no way out of the body.

In such cases, the tissue is trapped. As a result, the  tissue usually becomes irritated and forms fibroid tissues. The tissues and organs of the pelvic area attach together as a result. It in turn increases inflammation and pain.

This disease affects the ovaries, pelvic tissue and fallopian tubes in particular. In some cases, endometriosis can also affect the ligaments and peritoneal surface, as well as the intestines and bladder.

The symptoms of this disease often disappear during menopause because the hormonal stimuli caused by the menstrual cycle no longer appear and thus the ectopic endometriosis tissue either shrinks or disappears completely. However, symptoms may return if a woman uses hormone substitutes.

Endometriosis during menopause

A woman’s body stops producing estrogens (endometriosis-related hormones) at about age 50. This hormonal change reduces the symptoms of endometriosis.

However, there are many cases where this disease does not go away at the onset of menopause. Thus, a woman may still experience a small amount of bleeding that forms fibroids in the uterus, fallopian tubes, and so on.

Menopausal endometriosis is more difficult. Medication does not help in such cases and the symptoms are more severe. For this reason, a woman may choose surgery.

Possible treatments

Endometriosis can be treated with hormones or surgery. It all depends on the location of the tissues. Medication is the most recommended method in most cases where the aim is to reduce pain.

This disease requires special treatment during menopause. Please note that hormone replacement therapy may cause more pain in the pelvic area as well as possibly bleeding.

It is therefore important to consider the pros and cons of these treatment options during gynecological counseling. In case of extensive endometriosis, surgery should be resorted to. The most commonly used measures are:

• Laparoscopy to remove scars or burn damaged tissues without removing healthy parts.
• Laparotomy is a major surgical procedure to remove the entire endometrium.
• In the most severe cases, the surgeon must perform a hysterectomy, or hysterectomy. However, this is rare.

Useful information

Endometriosis is a benign disease that in most cases does not lead to cancer. It usually appears at the beginning of menstruation and lasts throughout the fertile cycle.

There are also cases where this disease also affects girls whose menstruation has not yet begun or where endometriosis persists during and after menopause. As you can see, there are no absolute rules for that disease.

Some people believe endometriosis is linked to genetic and environmental factors as well as family backgrounds. Endometriosis can lower a woman’s fertility levels because the uterine tissues block semen from entering the egg.

Talk to your gynecologist if you suffer from symptoms suggestive of this condition. He or she can determine the best possible treatment for your specific needs.

Thanks for reading this article.