Endometriosis is a chronic disease characterized by the growth of cells similar to the lining of the cervix outside the uterus. The condition is more common in women, affecting about 10 percent of women. According to research, approximately 11 million women were affected by this disease in 2015, and this number may still be rising.
Many women visit an average of seven doctors before receiving a correct diagnosis, making endometriosis diagnosis extremely inefficient.
Typical symptoms of endometriosis include pelvic pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, and pain during menstruation. The intensity of these symptoms varies as the condition progresses, and some women even have no symptoms at all while having endometriosis. According to statistics, nearly 50% of patients experience chronic pelvic pain, and approximately 70% experience significant pain during menstruation. In many cases, this pain can significantly reduce a patient's quality of life and can lead to psychological problems such as anxiety and depression.
Endometriosis is associated with high levels of depression and an increased risk of anxiety disorders, in part due to the pelvic pain experienced by patients.
In addition to pain and infertility, endometriosis can cause many other symptoms, including diarrhea, constipation, chronic fatigue, and headaches. Such symptoms have a profound impact on patients' physical and mental health, and many patients find it difficult to maintain normal life and work. When it comes to diagnosis, most doctors rely on medical history, imaging studies and ultimately laparoscopy to confirm the diagnosis, but this process is often difficult and lengthy.
Women often feel alone and helpless when faced with endometriosis. Because of symptoms associated with the disease, such as pain and infertility, patients are often unable to work or socialize normally, which creates challenges for their emotional and mental health. Studies show that affected women often experience lower life satisfaction and higher levels of depression.
Women who experience pain report higher levels of physical and mental health distress than women without pain symptoms.
In light of this, support and understanding are particularly important for patients with endometriosis. This not only helps patients cope with their illness, but also improves their physical and mental health. In many cases, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can significantly improve a patient's quality of life. Although there is currently no cure for endometriosis, a variety of treatments, including medications and surgery, can effectively reduce symptoms for patients.
However, society's awareness of endometriosis is still weak, and many patients often face being ignored or not understood when seeking help. Social and family support are crucial to their recovery. The medical community's lack of understanding of this disease also prolongs the diagnosis time, resulting in greater waste of manpower and medical resources.
Endometriosis is not only a physical pain, but also a psychological test. It not only affects women's physical health, but also leaves a profound imprint on their social life, work and even their outlook on life. When women face the challenges of endometriosis, they often need to use different resources to improve their quality of life. In the future, how to improve society's awareness of endometriosis and improve the quality of life of women with this disease will become an important issue we must face.
In this process of fighting endometriosis, have you ever thought about what measures we can take to increase awareness and support of this disease, thereby improving the quality of life of patients?