Endometriosis Makes Women Live In Disorder

Endometriosis can affects a woman's whole life in many aspects, which is more serious than we usually think, according to a research.

Endometriosis is a chronic, recurring disease that is experienced by approximately 10 percent of women worldwide. Common symptoms include painful urination and intercourse, painful bowel movements during your period, severe abdominal pain before and after your period, pelvic pain, lower back pain, heavy periods or spotting between periods and fatigue. It is one of three top causes of female infertility.

Research led by Monash University's Kate Young published in the Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care found that endometriosis affects women’s sexual life, work, personal relationships and emotional wellbeing and so on. The study found that women were more likely to be diagnosed sooner when they approached their doctor describing symptoms as fertility-related rather than a menstrual issue

Ms Young, from the Jean Hailes Research Unit at the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, reviewed a number of papers that recorded women's experiences of endometriosis.

"The most common theme was that women had experienced delays in diagnosis," Ms Young said. "Some women initially delayed seeking help for their symptoms because they believed all women had painful periods. When women revealed their symptoms to a family member, friend or medical professional their experiences were typically normalised as being what all women must endure," Ms Young said.

The study also found that women often felt frustrated and angry at unsatisfactory experiences with healthcare providers, and had concerns about the effectiveness and side effects of treatments. "Women want their doctors to really listen to their experience and concerns. They want to explain the true impact of the condition on their lives, rather than simply rank their pain on a scale from one to 10," Ms Young said.

Further research was needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of endometriosis as experienced by diverse groups of women. "The next stage of my research is to conduct interviews with women from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and also recruit more GPs from rural and urban settings to take part in the research," Ms Young said.

This research will contribute to the improved health care of women with endometriosis around the world. But the most important thing is to receive treatment timely. A lot of women are worried about the antibiotic resistance, so Ms Young also mentioned that traditional Chinese medicine like the Fuyan pill may be an alternative, but this medicine will take a longer period than antibiotics. But what it matters as long as it can improve the condition greatly?