Endometriosis

Excerpts from the entry on Endometriosis in Relieving Pain Naturally by Dr. Sylvia Goldfarb and Roberta W. Waddell. For full entries on all 37 conditions and 27 treatments, order the book.

Endometriosis is a chronic disorder in women that results when pieces of tissue from the lining of the uterus, the endometrium, spread and grow outside the uterine wall and throughout the pelvic area, particularly around the ovaries and fallopian tubes. Then, when estrogen is released during the normal menstrual cycle, this misplaced tissue responds to it and grows and spreads further. As endometrial cells break away, they can migrate to other parts of the body, including the bladder, bowel, kidneys, lungs, and nasal passages, where they also respond to the hormones regulating the menstrual cycle, and bleed monthly. Endometriosis eventually builds up destructive scar tissue which can be a major, often unrecognized, cause of infertility. It affects 4 to 12 million American women who are usually diagnosed with it in their thirties or forties, but it has also been known to occur in teenagers.

Also in this entry:

• Symptoms
• Common Causes
• Diagnosing the Problem
• Conventional Treatments
• Problems with Some Conventional Treatments
• Self-Help Alternative Treatments
• Assisted Alternative Treatments
• Practical Suggestions

See below for full list of all conditions and treatments in the book. Or, download a complete Condition entry or Treatment entry for free.