Is Endometriosis A Life-Long Condition?

A life with endometriosis can be very hard for the women diagnosed with this condition. They have many problems caused by the endometrial tissue that grows outside the uterus, including:

• Irregular and painful periods
• Pain in the pelvis

And most common symptom of endometriosis:

• Infertility

Very often, the women that have endometriosis also have high levels of the hormone called estrogen. This can happen during the fertile period of the life and as a result, women in their fertile years are more likely to be diagnosed with endometriosis than women in menopause or girls who have just entered puberty. Sometimes, menopause means the end of all the discomfort that endometriosis can cause, but not always.

There is no one singular cause of endometriosis, but of course, there are some risk factors that can cause this disease to develop very quickly in the body. High levels of estrogen are what help the endometrial tissue grow faster. If there is any possibility that you may have endometriosis, you should check your hormones with an endocrinologist. It can be through a simple blood test, and the results can tell you a lot about the condition and your general health. An imbalance of the levels of estrogen and progesterone is quite possible in a case of endometriosis.

When menopause starts, the levels of the fertility hormones are lowering slowly. Ovulation stops and there is no need for the endometrial tissue to grow anymore, so we can conclude that women of menopausal age are less likely to be diagnosed with endometriosis. Also, there is a possibility that women diagnosed with endometriosis will be "cured" in their menopausal age. After menopause, women will feel fewer endometriosis symptoms, because there are no periods and there is less pain in the pelvic cavity.

One of the most common myths concerning endometriosis is that women suffering from it can feel the pain only during their periods, but they can actually feel it maybe all the time. If they are lucky enough, the pains will stop in the first months of the menopause. Sometimes, women in menopause have to take estrogen pills to ease the hot flashes and vaginal dryness they may suffer from, but that will not cause endometriosis to come back.

There is also a possible case of postmenopausal endometriosis. There is much evidence that suggests that women with premenopausal endometriosis have a great chance of developing postmenopausal endometriosis. Sometimes, if the symptoms were mild during the fertile period, they can be worse in the menopausal period, but cases like this are very rare. The condition also depends on the immune response of the body and the levels of estrogen during menopause. Even the lowest possible level of estrogen can increase the chances of growing endometrial tissues, but let’s say it again, cases like this are very rare. The first case of postmenopausal endometriosis was registered in the 1950s. There are more treatments possible in these cases, because in menopause, there is no risk of infertility or any other damage.

So, the conclusion we can draw is that endometriosis lasts very long, but not necessarily a lifetime. A woman who was dealing with endometriosis in her fertile age can have a hysterectomy, which is the most efficient solution for those who are ready to remove their ovaries or the whole reproductive organs.