Endometriosis: Symptoms, Side Effects, Treatments & Home Remedies

What is Endometriosis

Have you ever wondered why you feel severe menstrual cramps? (How to handle menstrual cramps, like a champ!)

Are you worried about why a loved one is having fertility problems? As a lady, do you experience serious pain during intercourse?

Chances are that one is inflicted with a disorder called Endometriosis. In this post, we’re going to look at everything endometriosis, symptoms, endometriosis side effects and some simple usable home remedies for endometriosis.

What is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is simply endometrial tissue in an ectopic site. This means that, endometrial tissue (the tissue that lines the inside of the uterus) grows in another site in the body outside of the uterus. Common locations include the ovaries, pouch of Douglas ( a small pouch between the uterus and the rectum), uterosacral ligaments (one of the ligaments that keep the uterus in place), bladder (organ that stores urine), and the peritoneum (layer that lines the abdomen).

In Nigeria, over 100 thousand cases are recorded per year.

The cause of endometriosis is still unknown for now however there are various theories that have tried to explain how it arises. One theory is that the endometrial tissue is deposited in unusual locations by the retrograde flow of menstrual debris through the Fallopian tubes into the pelvic and abdominal cavities.

The cause of this retrograde mensuration is not clearly understood yet. Other theories include the metaplastic theory and the impaired immunity theory.

Is Endometriosis Dangerous?

how to handle menstrual cramps

Many women who have endometriosis experience few or no symptoms.

In fact, it is often diagnosed when a patient is undergoing pelvic surgery for other reasons.

However, in some women, endometriosis may cause severe menstrual cramps, pain during intercourse, infertility, excessive bleeding, infertility.

Although it is not a terrible disease as most infertile women are believed to have endometriosis, it is believed that endometriosis may increase the risk of having ovarian cancer and should be taken care of quickly to prevent an even more deadly disease such as ovarian cancer or cyst.

So How Do We Manage Endometriosis?

You can manage endometriosis by making some healthy, positive lifestyle changes by adopting healthier eating habits alongside other things like cutting down on red meat.

Here are some tips that will help you manage Endometriosis:

1. Increase your intake of Omega 3 fats: Foods that contain Omega 3 fats help in managing endometriosis because they are natural proteins and it is believed that natural proteins help to heal damaged tissues faster.

Examples of foods with Omega 3 include fish and many other kinds of seafood like shrimps etc.

2. Cut down on red meat: It is generally believed that red meat increases the risk of developing cancer, it is only wise that we cut down on our red meat since endometriosis is also linked with many cases of ovarian cancer

3. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains: You should know that eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is generally good for your health. However, eating more of these things will help you manage endometriosis positively.

eating healthy fats
Source: The Heart Foundation

4. Limit caffeine and alcohol: Caffeine and alcohol are generally not that great for women’s health because of the preservatives that are added to them. These preservatives often have side effects after a while and high intake of caffeinated, carbonated or alcoholic drinks have been linked with cancer. Read: 9 Harmful Side Effects of Excessive Caffeine in the Body

5.  Cut down on processed foods: Processed foods also contain a lot of preservatives and preservatives are generally bad for your health. It’s better to stick with natural foods.

6.  Soy may be beneficial: Soy contains a high level of anti-oxidant which is believed to reduce the risk of developing cancer.

7 Simple Home Remedies For Endometriosis

You can also manage endometriosis with the help of some simple home remedies.

We’ve combed through the internet and research papers to find you the most effective home remedies for endometriosis.

We listed them below;

1. OTC Anti-Inflammatory Drugs: A few anti-inflammatory drugs like Aspirin, ibuprofen, and Naproxen helps to reduce endometrial pains.

2. Castor oil: Castor oil is not only a potent home remedy for stretch marks, but it can also be administered on the affected part because it is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant oil that is used to soothe sore joints.

3. Tumeric: Tumeric contains an active compound called curcumin, and research shows that both curcumin and ginger have an anti-inflammatory effect.

4. Choose Anti Inflammatory Foods: Fibrous foods such as fruits and vegetables and foods like salmon, sardines etc that contain essential fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and they help to reduce the pain of endometriosis. Here are foods that fight inflammation.

5. Pelvic massages: Massage is basically not expensive and has little or no side effects unlike other aggressive methods of treating endometriosis like surgery. Massage helps in manipulating the regions surrounding the uterus and ovaries.

6. Ginger tea: Ginger tea basically contains anti-inflammatory compounds and antioxidants that help to reduce endometriosis pain.

7. Heat Therapy:  You can apply heated pads on the affected part to reduce cramping. The heat allows consistent blood flow around the uterus

Is Endometriosis life threatening?

Life-threatening complications of endometriosis affect 5-20% of menstruating women and it occurs primarily within the pelvis.

Ectopic endometrial tissue has the ability to grow, infiltrate and disseminate with life-threatening results/consequences.

What is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis can increase the risk of miscarriage by 76%. Women with endometriosis have a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer and another type of rare cancer called adenocarcinoma which is linked with endometriosis can later develop in life.

Although Endometriosis appears like cancer, however, it is not cancer. It can only aggravate to cancer.

Endometriosis is also likely to cause weight gain because of fluid retention and increased appetite as a result of the synthetic progesterone often present in hormonal birth control.


In conclusion, endometriosis is very painful and makes you feel really uncomfortable, it also has a lot of side effects that may later aggravate to ovarian cysts or ovarian cancer so it is not something you joke with.

We advise that you eat healthy, manage with the above home remedies while you book an appointment with your gynecologist.

References
  • Abdul Wadood Mohamed. Endometriosis. Retrieved from: https://www.healthline.com/health/endometriosis
  • Lori Smith. What to know about endometriosis. Retrieved from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/149109

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