Endometriosis Specialist in Mumbai: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment
Don't worry, you are not alone. Endometriosis affects 1 in every 10 women today.
Period pain that keeps you in bed, pain during sex, or trouble getting pregnant can all be signs of endometriosis, a common condition that often goes unnoticed for years. Dr. Ria Katwala Solanki, endometriosis specialist in Mumbai, treats all types, from mild disease controlled with medicines to deep endometriosis that needs laparoscopic or robotic surgery.
What is endometriosis?
Normally: the womb is lined by a layer called the endometrium, which bleeds every month and flows out through the vagina as a period.
In endometriosis: this lining also grows abnormally outside the womb, on organs like the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bowel, bladder, the lining of the pelvis and, rarely, the diaphragm. This lining is now trapped with no escape route. It bleeds every month inside the body, causing pain, inflammation and scar tissue.
In Hindi: एंडोमेट्रियोसिस में गर्भाशय की अंदरूनी परत जैसा ऊतक गर्भाशय के बाहर बढ़ने लगता है, जिससे पीरियड्स में तेज़ दर्द हो सकता है।
In Marathi: एंडोमेट्रिओसिस म्हणजे गर्भाशयाच्या आतील अस्तरासारख्या पेशी गर्भाशयाच्या बाहेर वाढणे, ज्यामुळे मासिक पाळीत तीव्र वेदना होऊ शकतात.
What are the symptoms of endometriosis?
Severe period pain
Difficulty getting
pregnant
Bloating, constipation or diarrhoea around periods
Heavy or
irregular periods
Pain while passing urine or motion
Bladder and bowel
Pain during or after intercourse
Chronic pelvic pain:
pain even without
periods
Some women have severe disease with little pain; others have a lot of pain with little visible disease. The amount of pain does not always match how much endometriosis there is.
What causes endometriosis, and can it be prevented?
No one knows the exact cause. Most likely, several things work together:
• Backward flow of period blood
• Genes: it runs in families
• Hormones: oestrogen feeds it
• Immune system: stray cells are not cleared
• Surgery: cells carried into a C-section scar
It is not caused by anything you did. It cannot be prevented, but early treatment stops it getting worse and protects fertility.
Endometriosis vs adenomyosis: what's the difference?
In endometriosis, the lining-like tissue grows outside the womb. In adenomyosis, it grows into the muscle wall of the womb itself, making the womb bulky and periods heavy and painful. The two often occur together. Read more on the Adenomyosis page.
Can endometriosis turn into cancer?
Endometriosis increases the risk of both ovarian and endometrial cancer. The overall risk is still low, but regular follow-up matters, and any cyst that looks unusual on a scan is checked carefully. Dr. Ria is also a gynaecological cancer surgeon, so any doubt is looked into properly.
Endometriosis treatment: how is it treated?
Treatment depends on what your goals are and where the disease is. If the disease involves vital organs, surgery is generally the first step, to prevent end-organ damage such as kidney failure or bowel obstruction. Treatment is aimed at improving your quality of life.
Endometriosis FAQs
Q: At what age does endometriosis start?
Endometriosis can start in the teenage years and is generally diagnosed late, because most women think period pain is normal.
Q: Is severe period pain normal?
No. Pain that needs strong painkillers or keeps you in bed should be checked.
Q: Can endometriosis be cured?
It can be controlled very well. Complete surgical removal gives long-lasting relief for most women, and medicines keep it from coming back.
Q: Does endometriosis go away after menopause?
Symptoms usually settle after menopause, when the body makes less oestrogen.
Q: Where can I consult Dr. Ria for endometriosis?
At Amardeep Nursing Home, Andheri East (Monday to Saturday, 10am-2pm and 5pm-8pm), and Bharatiya Arogya Nidhi Hospital, Vile Parle West (by appointment). Teleconsultation is available.
