Endometriosis Awareness Month: What You Need To Know

Let’s end the suffering.

March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about a condition that affects 1 in 10 women worldwide. Endometriosis can have serious physical and emotional effects on those living with it, yet it often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for years. To help raise awareness about the condition, we must talk openly about endometriosis, educate the public on its symptoms and treatments, and support those who are affected by it. Together, we can make sure that nobody has to suffer in silence any longer.

What Is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is characterized by the abnormal growth of the cells that line the uterine wall outside of their natural location in the uterus. The most common occurrence is that these cells grow on the outside of the uterus itself, but they can also grow up and down the fallopian tubes and embed themselves around the ovaries. In severe cases, this endometrium tissue will adhere itself to the surface of or inside the intestines, on the rectum, or in other parts of the bowel.

What Are The Symptoms of Endometriosis?

The movement of uterine tissue outside of the uterus leads to inflammation and scarring. Symptoms can include severe menstrual cramps, heavy bleeding during the menstrual cycle, chronic pelvic pain, pain during sex, infertility, bloating, gastrointestinal issues, and fatigue. Because these symptoms can be extremely disruptive to daily life, they can can also cause significant emotional pain and lead to depression and anxiety.

Who is Impacted by Endometriosis?

Endometriosis impacts women of reproductive age, typically between the ages of 15-49. It is estimated to affect up to 10% of women worldwide, with some studies suggesting that this number may be as high as 1 in 7 women. Endometriosis can occur in women of any race or ethnicity and is often underdiagnosed in women of color.

Why Does Endometriosis Go Undiagnosed?

Endometriosis is often misdiagnosed or goes undiagnosed due to a lack of awareness about the condition, as well as the fact that it can be difficult to detect. Unfortunately, this means that many women suffer in silence and are not able to access the treatment they need.

What Are The Hormonal Mechanisms Behind Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is quickly becoming a candidate to be classified as an autoimmune disorder. It isn’t yet, but research is pointing us in the direction of an autoimmune connection wherein the immune system is attacks part of the woman's uterus and leads to the inflammation that creates the migration of these cells.

Before it gets classified that way, here's what what we do know:

The fueling mechanism for endometriosis is a a inadequate ratio between the two female hormones estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen is a growth hormone, so when any cells in the body are exposed to estrogen, those cells rapidly grow. A woman's body is set up to have another hormone - progesterone - which is an antagonizer of estrogen and keeps it in check. What we see with women who have been diagnosed with endometriosis is that most have an imbalance of too much estrogen and not enough progesterone to oppose the estrogen (meaning they’re “estrogen dominant). When excess estrogen interacts with individual endometrial cells, it puts gasoline on the fire, causing the cells to rapidly reproduce and spread.

How Is Endometriosis Treated?

One of the things we see as effective therapy - at least in the early stages of endometriosis - is to correct that imbalance between estrogen and progesterone. This can done in many ways: For example, you can use estrogen blockers to block the production of estrogen and stop the feeding of the endometriosis - in certain early-stage cases, this can cause the endometriosis to wane and disappear and is all that is needed for treatment. We also find it highly beneficial to put a woman on a high-quality Bio-HRT progesterone to elevate her progesterone levels enough to effectively antagonize the estrogen.

In the severe stages of endometriosis - where it has spread near to other organ systems - a surgical procedure is typically required. A laparoscopy, where small incisions are made in the stomach, can be used to remove or treat the growths that can cause pain. Other surgical procedures include laser ablation and uterine artery embolization, which can effectively stop the bleeding that occurs when blood vessels burst during menstruation.

In all cases, diet needs to be considered because of the link between gut health, inflammation, and immune response. If foods are getting through the digestive wall before they are adequately digested, there's going to be a huge systemic response. The body believes these particles are foreign because they’re not digested foods (which it would recognize). These molecules are too big, so they pose a threat to the body's immune system and create an inflammatory cascade which agitates any type of autoimmune disorder, including endometriosis. By taking care of your digestive health and repairing intestinal permeability - meaning eliminate irritants (processed food, sugar, seed oils, grains, etc.) and focus on real foods - you are giving your body a chance to repair the gut lining and reduce the inflammatory response.

In Conclusion

Now we know what endometriosis is, how it’s fueled in the body, and how dramatically it can impact the lives of those suffering from it - and by understanding this, we can hopefully empower women to pay attention to their bodies, take control of their health, talk to their doctors, and find relief from their symptoms.

If you or someone you love is experiencing symptoms of Estrogen Dominance or suspects they have endometriosis, book a free 15-minutes with Dr. Jay to see what natural options for treatment are available.