The condition when the tissue lining in the uterus (known as endometrial tissue) penetrates and grow into the muscular wall of the uterus, is known as Adenomyosis. The exact cause for this condition is not yet known. It commonly affects women in the age group of 35-50years. Some may not show symptoms, whereas in some cases symptoms such as the following can be seen:
- Heavy and prolonged menstrual cycles.
- Sharp pain and cramps during menstrual cycles.
- Pain while sexual intercourse.
- Blood clots during menstrual cycles.
Any of these symptoms should be reported immediately to the doctor. Even though the exact cause is not known clearly. Theories about the causes of uterine adenomyosis include:
- Stem Cell Origin
- Childbirth leading to break in the endometrial lining
- Invasive tissue growth of the endometrium into the uterine muscle
- Developmental origins where the extra tissues have been deposited before birth
Effective treatments for uterine endometriosis are very less. Some of them may include:
- Endometrial Ablation
- Hysterectomy
- Uterine artery embolization
- Hormonal manipulation
This may not completely cure adenomyosis. For complete cure, uterine may have to be removed. The growth of endometrial tissue depends upon the estrogen level in a woman’s body. Estrogen secretion reduces with the menopause. In certain cases, adenomyosis goes away with menopause.