Home > Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine > Endometriosis

Definition

Endometriosis is a condition in which bits of tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (endometrium) grow in other parts of the body (and within the uterus). Like the uterine lining, this tissue builds up and sheds in response to monthly hormonal cycles. The blood discarded from these implants falls onto surrounding organs, causing swelling and inflammation. This repeated irritation leads to the development of scar tissue and adhesions.

Description

Endometriosis is estimated to affect 7% of women of childbearing age in the United States. It most commonly strikes between the ages of 25 and 40. Endometriosis can also appear in the teen years, but never before the start of menstruation. It is seldom seen in postmenopausal women.

Endometriosis was once called the "career woman's disease" because it was thought to be...