Endometriosis is in the news…again. You may have heard about the recent controversial case reported by the BBC of 23-year-old Hannah Lockhart who had such severe pelvic pain that it was completely disrupting her life, resulting in her seeking a hysterectomy. She isn’t alone. But it did stir up a touchy issue. She was refused the procedure because of her age and the fact that she didn’t have any children. A hysterectomy would involve the complete removal of her uterus, thus eliminating the possibility of her ever becoming pregnant and giving birth.
What is endometriosis?
It’s a painful condition where endometrial tissues form outside of the uterus. In other words, the tissues that normally grown within the uterus, grow in other parts of the body. These tissues “build up” and like the uterine lining, shed (bleed) in the monthly hormonal cycle. However, unlike the uterine lining, there is no natural outlet for these tissues (blood) to be discharged. The result is severe pain.
Should a woman have to make that painful life-changing decision of children or surgery? Should the option of hysterectomies be taken off the table for women of child-bearing age? These are topics still being discussed. And, of course, each woman should have the opportunity to learn about all available options, from medication to surgery, and make that decision for herself.
Endometriosis is a common ailment.
There are many women of all ages who deal with the severe symptoms of endometriosis from migraines, nausea, abnormal bleeding, lengthy monthly periods and, in all cases, pain. Lots of pain. According to the BBC article, endometriosis affects approximately 176 million women, where up to 20% are of childbearing age. And, in many cases, the advice given is to prioritize the ability to have children over the elimination of pain.
The controversy continues today as many are seeking aggressive treatments and having to choose between not having children or living with debilitating pain. Or worse yet, being denied surgeries because they are of child-bearing age. Becoming informed of all options is the answer. And surgery may not be the answer for everyone. Today we have other options and very often surgery isn’t recommended unless there is no viable alternative.
Dr. Vahora specializes in painful conditions and offers many treatment options for endometriosis. Her treatments include customized medications, holistic treatments, laser treatments, and surgery. Dr. Vahora has the experience and tools to both treat the condition of endometriosis and ease the pain. There are options and hopefully ones that will eliminate the agonizing decision of whether to live with pain or not to live with pain.
This information is not intended to be exhaustive nor should any discussion or opinions be construed as professional advice. Should you have any questions or would like to discuss endometriosis pain, please contact the staff at Parveen S. Vahora, MD. We are here to help.
