Exclusive: What is Endometriosis - a disease that 25 mn Indian women suffer in silence

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New Delhi: The Kapil Sharma Show actress Sumona Chakravarti recently opened up about her struggle with Endometriosis - a painful disease that almost 25 million Indian women suffer in silence.

WHAT IS ENDOMETRIOSIS?

Endometriosis is a disorder in which the tissue that normally lies inside the uterus is found growing outside it. The common locations are ovaries and Fallopian tubes.

Heavy and irregular periods, painful periods, painful sexual intercourse and experiencing pain while passing urine and stool, infertility and constipation, bloating, nausea etc., are symptoms of endometriosis.

“There is certainly a lack of awareness about the disease, namely because of ill-defined nature and symptoms,” shares Dr Manjiri Mehta, Consultant Gynaecologist and Obstetrician, Hiranandani Hospital Vashi-A Fortis Network Hospital.

She further added, “women are unaware of the high-risk factors. Due to this the diagnosis and treatment of the disease is always delayed and the disease gets a chance to progress interfering with day to day life of the women. They suffer through pain, infertility and associated social stigma. The physical discomfort is at time’s agonising.”

There are multiple kinds of treatment available for the disease, which a doctor prescribes depending upon each patient’s condition.

Pain medication, hormonal treatment, contraceptives, GnRH agonist and antagonists (hormonal treatment variant), Danazol, conservative surgery and laparoscopy are treatments commonly given to endometriosis patients.

LACK OF AWARENESS ABOUT ENDOMETRIOSIS

Talking about under-reported cases of the disease, Dr Manjiri shared, “The prevalence of endometriosis is difficult to predict as many cases are not diagnosed due to vague and overlapping symptoms. The diagnosis is many times missed and patients get treated for various other causes of abdominal pain. The incidence as such shows about 25 million cases in India.”

The steps to fight the disease include awareness, early diagnosis and treatment by a specialist doctor.

Support from family members and one’s spouse is also very important. “Frank discussion about infertility related issues and not targeting the patient is extremely important,” concludes Dr Manjiri.