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Endometriosis refers to an overgrowth in the lining of the uterus. In some cases, these cells will migrate to other parts of the body. While endometriosis is not considered to be a malignant growth, these cells can still wreak havoc when they colonize other parts of the body. Therefore, if you are woman in childbearing years and you notice certain abdominal symptoms, then it is advisable to get screened for colon endometriosis.
Symptoms
Even though cells from the uterine lining colonize other parts of the body, they will still follow the same pattern of building up tissue and then breaking down into blood as the menstrual cycle shifts through the month. If you notice that gas, cramps, bloating, rectal bleeding, painful bowel movements and diarrhea only happen during your period, then you may have colon endometriosis instead of some other disease. Unfortunately, many women that have colon endometriosis are diagnosed with everything from colon cancer to irritable bowel syndrome.
Diagnosis
As a general rule of thumb, it will be difficult to find out about colon endometriosis unless your doctor specifically looks for it. Among other things, this disorder may not show up on ultrasounds, CT scans or during colonoscopies. If you find that no other diagnostic method works, your doctor may need to perform exploratory surgery to visually inspect the outer walls of the intestine. Today, that surgery is as simple as inserting a camera through a small hole near the belly button.
Treatments
Not so long ago, surgery was the most common treatment for colon endometriosis. Typically, your doctor will not recommend surgery for colon endometriosis because the tissue will simply grow back again. On the other hand, if the tissue reaches the internal walls of the intestine or causes a blockage, it will need to be removed.
Many women today are given high doses of birth control hormones to help reduce the activity of endometrial cells. While these therapies come with a number of side effects, they tend to be more effective than surgery. At the very least, if you have a number of years to go before reaching menopause, these medications can help you get through them a bit more easily.
Over the years, researchers have discovered that endometriosis may be caused by a number of things. This includes suppression of the immune system, which prevents it from dealing with the reverse flow of menstrual blood and endometrial cells through the fallopian tubes. Once the surrounding tissue is colonized by endometrial cells, it becomes difficult if not impossible to get rid of them.
Chances are, you may not realize that a colon cleanse may be able to alleviate some symptoms of colon endometriosis. If you have been exposed to pesticides, hormones or other chemicals that mimic estrogen, they may be encouraging the proliferation of endometrial cells. After you get these toxins out of your large intestines, the endometrial cells will die off or your immune system will become strong enough to eliminate them. This, in turn, may be enough to reduce or even cure your condition.
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