The different forms of endometriosis

Directly linked to the menstrual cycle , endometriosis is a disease that is still poorly understood. It can be asymptomatic but very often, affected women have great difficulty living a normal life during their periods. Indeed, the varioussymptoms of endometriosis can be relatively debilitating. Did you know that this disease comes in different forms? Let's discover them together.

“Classic” endometriosis: the one we talk about the most

Little is known about the origins of endometriosis. However, two causes are suspected. The first is that endometrial cells spread throughout the body by different routes: the fallopian tubes, the vascular and lymphatic routes. The second track is that certain cells in the body can turn into endometrial cells. They would do it either spontaneously or following a hormonal influence.

Learn about the common symptoms of endometriosis in detail in this article .

Adenomyosis: the one that stays in the uterus

This particular form of endometriosis involves only the uterus . Endometrial cells migrate to the myometrium, the muscle in the uterine wall that holds the organ together. This infiltration can be diffuse, ie evenly distributed in the muscle, or focal, ie forming foci. Finally, it can come from outside the uterus in the case of pelvic endometriosis. A correlation between these two forms of the disease has also been discovered, but it is not systematic.

If you are between 36 and 40 years old, you are at risk because 25% of cases concern women in this age group! Also, having a very developed endometrium increases the risk of adenomyosis: this may be the case for women who have had several children, for example. The symptoms are not always present and resemble those of classic endometriosis: heavy, long (more than 7 days) and painful periods, but also blood loss outside of menstruation.

Parietal endometriosis: a consequence of caesarean section

Little known to the general public and yet relatively common, parietal endometriosis can occur after a caesarean section, but also after a laparoscopy, a surgical intervention of the abdominal cavity. How does it work?

When a woman cannot give birth vaginally, a surgeon is forced to open her uterus. Despite all the precautions taken, some endometrial cells will be moved from the uterus to other exposed parts of the body during the operation. They can then take up residence in the abdomen and at the level of the scars generated by the intervention.

Subsequently, they will eventually migrate to the lower and hind limbs, the lungs, etc. They will also reproduce as they would have done within their organ of origin. The cells thus scattered in the body react in the same way to the concentration of hormones present in the blood as their sisters present in the uterus. This reaction causes pain in the places where they have developed.

In this article , Annabelle tells us how she got rid of her parietal endometriosis.

By Emily