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Endometriosis: Symptoms
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Endometriosis is a disease where tissue exactly like that lining the uterus grows in other parts of the body, mainly within the pelvis. This factsheet discusses what causes endometriosis,the signs and symptoms, how it effects the body, its impact on fertility, diagnosis and hormonal and surgical treatment.
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Endometriosis tends to be a progressive disease, which means that symptoms usually get worse over time. However, there are no adequate long-term studies of the progression of endometriosis to truly say that is it gets worse in most women.
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Endometriosis can affect any woman of reproductive age, from menarche(the first period) to menopause, regardless of her race, ethnicity, whether or not she has children or her socio-economic status. Most patients with endometriosis are in their 20s and 30s. Rarely, endometriosis persists after menopause; sometimes, hormonestaken for menopausal symptoms may cause the symptoms of endometriosis to continue.
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The only way to diagnose Endometriosis with complete accuracy is to see it. The only way to see it is through surgery. There are symptoms and tests that can give a physician clues, but Endometriosis is a very elusive disease. The adage, seeing is believing, is the safest and most effective route to pursue diagnosis and ultimately treatment.
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Endometriosis can only be diagnosed through surgery. Ultrasounds, MRIs, and CAT scans are not conclusive when diagnosing endometriosis. A physician will usually study the history of symptoms and decide whether a surgical procedure is needed to make a diagnosis. A laparoscopy or laparotomy procedure is used when trying to diagnose endometriosis.
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Endometriosis can be mild, moderate or severe, and it tends to get worse over time without treatment. Some women with endometriosis have no signs and symptoms at all, and the disease is discovered only during an unrelated operation, such as a tubal ligation. Other women may experience one or more of the following signs and symptoms:
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