Endometriosis: Are your period cramps normal? What to do if you have this disorder!

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Endometriosis is a disorder characterised by severe lower abdominal pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, infertility, etc. Endometriosis occurs when tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus - the endometrium - grows outside your uterus.

Women with endometriosis will also experience pain during or after intercourse. They may also have fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, bloating or nausea, especially during menstrual cycles.

Because many women get cramps during menstruation or ovulation, it is important to know whether the pain is normal or signalling a problem. Menstrual cramps that are normal are fairly easy to treat and usually last for three or four days at the start of your period. However, if you have endometriosis, pelvic pain and cramps may begin before your period and extend several days into your cycle.

This disorder is often found in women who are struggling to conceive than in fertile women although the condition does not always cause infertility.

Even though there is no cure for endometriosis, there are effective treatments such as - medications, hormone therapy, or surgery - to reduce your symptoms as well as manage pain and fertility issues, for which you can consult a gynaecologist.