#endometriosis - cramps and diarrhea are warning signs!

Menstrual cramps are one of the main complaints of women: such aches usually improve rapidly with the use of some medications. However, when the pain is accompanied by bouts of diarrhea, or is persistent even during intercourse, the woman may have endometriosis. This disease affects aproximately 10% of women in reproductive age being caused by an inflammation in the pelvic area: some endometrial cells are not normally expelled during menstruation, change their route and, through the fallopian tubes, get into the abdominal cavity. Inside the cavity, these cells adhere in organs such as the bladder, ovary, intestine and vagina. 

When they get installed in other organs, these cells trigger an inflammatory process, causing pain and bleeding. When the endometriosis settles in the fallopian tube, it can lead to female infertility, drastically reducing the chances of getting pregnant naturally. 

Treatments vary according to the intensity and severity of the disease. Usually the doctor prescribes drugs that supress menstruation, such as contraceptive pills taken continuously, trying to prevent the spread of endometriosis to other organs. Another treatment, more aggressive, is the laparoscopic surgery to remove endometriosis foci in more extensive cases.