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Endometrial cells are the
cells that are shed from the uterus each month (menstrual bleeding).
During the menstrual cycle, hormones signal
the lining of your uterus to thicken to prepare for possible
pregnancy.
If a pregnancy doesn't occur, hormone levels
decrease, causing the thickened lining of your uterus to shed.
This produces bleeding that exits your body through the vagina —
your monthly period.
The specialized type of
tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus becomes implanted outside your uterus.
This implanted tissue grows in other areas outside of the
uterus, looks and acts like the lining of the uterus.
It occurs most
commonly on
- on or under the ovaries
- fallopian tubes,
- outer surfaces or behind of the uterus
- on the tissues that hold the uterus in place
- on the surface lining of the pelvic cavity.
Rarely, endometrial tissue may spread beyond the
pelvic region such as on bowels
or
bladder; on the liver, vagina, old surgery scars, and even in the lung
or brain.
Very rarely it grows in the lungs or other parts of the body.
Since these specialized tissues are named as "endometrium" this
condition is called "endometriosis".
When endometrial tissue is located elsewhere in your body, it
continues to act in its normal way:
It thickens, breaks down and
bleeds each month as your hormone levels rise and fall.
Because
there's nowhere for the blood from this displaced tissue to exit
your body, it becomes trapped, and surrounding tissue can become
irritated.
These areas can be called
- "growths"
- "tumors"
- "implants"
- "lesions"
- "nodules"
Trapped blood may lead to the growth of cysts.
Cysts, in
turn, may form scar tissue and adhesions — abnormal tissue that
binds organs together.
This process can cause pain in the area
of misplaced tissue, often the pelvis, especially during your
period and/or very heavy periods.
Scars and adhesions related to endometriosis also can
cause fertility problems.
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