Everything You Need to Know About Endometriosis: Part I

[00:00:00] We're going to talk about what endometriosis is, the symptoms of endometriosis, causes, and then we're going to shift the next time we talk, the next part of the episode, we're going to talk about current technology and treatment from a Western standpoint and how it's really treated from an integrative standpoint. We're also going to talk about other little known facts about endometriosis that a lot of women aren't aware of and also some clinical pearls that I've found from treating it in of women aren't aware of and also some clinical pearls that I've found from treating it in my practice. [00:00:32] I'm Caroline Asherst. I'm so happy you're here. My goal is to give you help and the roadmap to help heal your fertility and get the support that you need. So the good news is that an endometriosis diagnosis is not the end of your fertility. It doesn't mean you can't get pregnant. It might be a little bit more of a curvy, twisty path to get there, but with the right providers and the right practitioners. [00:00:56] and treatments, you can navigate this with empowerment and hope. and treatments, you can navigate this with empowerment and hope. So what is endometriosis? A lot of my ladies know what this is and a lot of people struggle with endometriosis. So with endometriosis, what happens is that the tissue that's usually found in your endometrium, endometrial lining, your uterus, is found in other places in your body. Outside of your uterus. So it's really only supposed to be in there. [00:01:28] So it's really only supposed to be in there. It's a specific kind of tissue that behaves a specific kind of way. It's responsive to hormones. It's responsive to many different things that are happening in the body. And that tissue is usually made out of fibrin. So the thing about endometriosis is that it does not only live in the uterus. It can attach itself outside of it. And that's essentially... [00:01:56] A lot of what we're looking at is like the lesions of the tissue inside the uterus, A lot of what we're looking at is like the lesions of the tissue inside the uterus, but also outside of it. We're going to talk a little bit more about that. So it causes systemic inflammation of the body and inflammation exacerbates it. So it's got this like cycle of repeating itself. Having it in and of itself causes inflammation and then inflammation makes it worse. So. [00:02:25] So just like our uterus, again, it responds to hormonal changes and behaves like endometrial tissue, So just like our uterus, again, it responds to hormonal changes and behaves like endometrial tissue, but in other parts of the body. So some of these symptoms are what you would experience if you have painful periods. You might get pain during your cycle, before your cycle, and other places in your body. And this is actually one of the common symptoms we're going to talk about in a minute. Estrogen is required for endometriosis to grow. So that's another. [00:02:55] Part of this. You will oftentimes find high levels of estrogen in women who have endometriosis. You will oftentimes find high levels of estrogen in women who have endometriosis. And it is an autoimmune disease. So it's categorized as that because your body creates autoimmune antibodies when you have endometriosis, which then attack your own body cells. So these antibodies circulate through your blood. And those are. [00:03:25] The attacking cells. So. There are different stages of endometriosis. There are different stages of endometriosis. So depending on how how invasive and how how severe your endometriosis is, you will be in a certain stage. So stage one is a very minimal instance of endometriosis. So there are a few superficial implants. [00:03:55] So there are a few superficial implants in your uterus, and superficial meaning that So there are a few superficial implants in your uterus, and superficial meaning that they're in the one of the top layers of the endometrial lining stage two is min as mild, and there are more of the implants and they are deeper in the tissue layers. Stage three is moderate. There's many of the deep implants and there can be small chocolate chocolate cysts on the ovaries. One or both. [00:04:25] And then there's presence of filmy adhesion. So these adhesions are the sticky tissue that actually like glues your tissues together So these adhesions are the sticky tissue that actually like glues your tissues together inside your body. So oftentimes there will be, you know, sometimes we will find that there is the ovary is sticking to another part of the body. Or that. So tissue is sticking together. [00:04:56] It's almost like this glue like tissue.