Endometriosis ~ Abdominal Pain ~ Endo ~ Scar Tissue ~ Adhesions ~ Infertility ~ Hysterectomy

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

The Stage or Severity of Endometriosis

Surgery also helps determine the severity of endometriosis in a patient. Doctors commonly diagnose endometriosis in stages. Here are the common stages of endometriosis:

Stage 1: Endometriosis in stage one is classified as minimal. Most patients will get a score of 1 to 5 points, meaning there are isolated incidents of endometrial tissue growth outside the uterus.

Stage 2: Endometriosis in stage two is considered mild. A patient having a score of 6 to 15 points has mild endometriosis. A doctor makes this diagnosis when there are several small implants and a few small areas of scar tissue or adhesions.

Stage 3: Stage the endometriosis is moderate. Patients with 16 to 40 points have moderate endometriosis. The implants in stage three must be superficial and deep. There must also be several prominent areas of scar tissue or adhesions. Typically the symptoms of endometriosis are common in patients with moderate Stage III endometriosis.

Stage 4: This is the most severe stage of endometriosis, with over 40 points needed for diagnosis. Patients with stage IV endometriosis will have many superficial and deep implants as well as large adhesions. Endometriosis symptoms including infertility are common in patients with stage IV endometriosis.

Some women with endometriosis will have no symptoms at all. The symptoms of endometriosis experienced by women do not necessarily correlate with the severity of the disease or the stage of endometriosis. Some women with mild endometriosis will experience severe symptoms, while women with severe endometriosis may not have any symptoms at all. Pelvic pain however is most common in women with severe endometriosis.
If you suspect that you are experiencing any of the symptoms of endometriosis it is important that you consult with your healthcare provider. Your doctor can provide you with several different treatment alternatives for relieving the pain and discomfort of endometriosis.
http://www.womenshealthcaretopics.com/living_with_endometriosis.htm

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