Patient's question:
My colleague said that her menstrual cramps have been particularly severe recently. She has always experienced menstrual cramps during her period, but the pain has been even worse these past few months. She thought it was caused by eating cold food. After a thorough examination at the hospital, the doctor said she has endometriosis. Does endometriosis also cause menstrual cramps? How is this condition treated?Doctor's answer:
Dysmenorrhea is the most typical symptom of endometriosis. It progressively worsens over time. It usually begins 1 to 2 days before menstruation. The first day of menstruation is the most dramatic, then gradually increases, and disappears when menstruation ends. Severe pain can be unbearable, even when pain relievers are used in large doses. The pain is caused by local tissue inflammation due to internal bleeding triggered by endometriosis inflammation. At the same time, endometriosis inflammation increases the excretion of prostaglandins, leading to uterine muscle contractions, which makes dysmenorrhea even more pronounced.