Menstrual cramps or lower abdominal pain may sound normal to hear about them as they are what women have to face it regularly monthly. In fact, do you know that ? these could be signs of symptoms called “Adenomyosis” How to define or detect some abnormalities, this article has all answers…
What is Adenomyosis?
It is an abnormality of the endometrium that grows outside the uterus which it might hide or stays within the muscle or uterine wall including other positions of the pelvis: the ovary, lungs, pleura; however, the positions where abnormalities are most found are as follows:
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- The ovary: a condition of Adenomyosis occurs when a female starts having menstruation that flows backward within the body; the cyst would enlarge following amount of the menstruation gradually; inside it, there is a liquid which quite sticky like chocolate called Chocolate Cyst.
- Uterine muscle: in the case when the endometrium penetrates into the muscles of the uterine lining and causes cramps which is a cause of pressure in the lower abdominal cavity and bloated stomach before menstruation; in another way, this symptom may occur during intensive menstruation; condition divided into 2 types: Pain locally at the uterine muscle and distantly spread to each layer of the uterine muscles.
Adenomyosis Symptom Checklist
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- The menstrual period is very long more than 7 days; during a day you require a change of sanitary napkins in every hour constantly.
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- Severe menstrual cramps; before that the pain used to occur and gradually increase its severity every month however, some cases suffer from the pain and faint.
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- Having pain in the vagina after or during sex
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- Having abdominal pain before menstruation during and after the menstruation as well
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- Pressure in the abdomen cavity as well as having the stomach bloated during menstruation
- Anemia
Who are at risk of Adenomyosis
The Adenomyosis is a condition found prevalently especially in middle-aged women as well as women who have already be pregnant and have children; certain research results show that females who undergo hysterectomy may have the risk of developing the Adenomyosis; however, there is no exact source defines what cause a disease but still some researches talk about hormone topics such as, Estrogen, Progesterone, Prolactin and Follicle Stimulating Hormone that contribute to the disease.
Screening steps for Adenomyosis
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- Pateints recieve every question directly from an obstetrician
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- Receive Internal and Laboratory Examination
- Ultrasound examination by obstetrician-gynecologist in order to see lesion of the disease more clearly
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) provides more accurate result about the lesion
In case of screening by other methods looking for the lesion does not seem to be working, MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) which is a medical technology that provides an image of internal organs in the body through monitor would be applied to help a doctor find the abnormality sign of Adenomyosis without surgery.
Another case when a patient has abnormal bleeding in the vagina similar to a sign of uterine tumor the MRI would tell differences; if this is a symptom of the tumor, a mass of tissue would be attached to the uterine lining while signs or lesion of the Adenomyosis, it would grow inside the uterine lining; this is an accurate diagnosis result which is also a key for the doctor to select the most optimal treatment method for every patient.
Can Adenomyosis be treated?
For treatment, there are many approaches given to patients by an obstetrician-gynecologist, he or she may speculate based on symptoms and severity including history of pateints whether having deliver or not ; treatment guidelines divided into 2 major methods as follows:
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- Drug Use: In case of the patient having severity of symptoms from mild to moderate drugs are used as treatment and divided into these following groups:
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- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – NSAIDs used to reduce the pain while having the menstruation, a doctor would start using the NSAIDS within 1-2 days before the menstruation day reaches and continue using it during the first two days of the menstruation.
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- Hormone Pills used by both injections and oral taking as well as a medical tool inserting similar to intrauterine device with hormorne inside the uterine cavity ; this group of the drug can inhibit ovarian function which is a reason why the lesion of the disease wilts.
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- Surgery: in the event that treatment by drug gives a dissatisfied result or patients have some limitation to receive remedy (medication/ medicine use) surgery will be an another alternative. The surgery will make the doctor cut off some bad areas link to disease as much as possible; at present, it has been developed by use of the camera during a procedure which now becomes popular. The surgery has many benefits such as being able to lower a chance of having fascia after surgery, a surgical wound becomes small with fast recovery; patients spend their time in a hospital shorter than abdomen open-operation in past.
Although … the endometrium/Adenomyosis is not harmful to death but chronic pain and abnormality during the menstruation can affect life quality at the same time if symptoms are overlooked they can spread severity distantly; thus, patients should receive screening and treatment properly.
For more information, please contact
Advanced Gynecology Specialists Center (AGSC)
Phyathai Nawamin Hospital
el. +662-944-7111 ext. 220
