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Adenomyosis
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Adenomyosis is a change in the wall of the uterus. On the inside, the uterus has a lining made of endometrial tissue, and around the outside are walls of muscle. In adenomyosis, that lining doesn't stay where it belongs: it grows into the muscle, all the way out to the outer muscular walls, and the wall of the uterus gets thicker.
Picture a garden surrounded by a stone wall. Normally the grass stays in the garden. Here, it's as if the grass worked its way in between the stones of the wall, and the wall slowly grew thicker. Nobody knows yet why this happens. Sometimes the uterus gets bigger, and during a pelvic exam, a checkup of the organs in the pelvis, it may feel soft and a little larger than usual.
In many cases, adenomyosis causes no symptoms at all. When it does cause symptoms, they can include periods that last longer or are heavier than usual, painful periods that keep getting worse, or pain in the pelvis, the lower part of the belly, during sex. And there's some good news: these symptoms usually go away after menopause, when periods stop.
In brief
Adenomyosis is a thickening of the walls of the uterus. It happens when endometrial tissue, which forms the uterine lining, grows into the outer muscular walls of the uterus.
Its cause is unknown. Sometimes adenomyosis causes the uterus to grow larger, and during a pelvic exam it may feel soft and slightly enlarged.
It often causes no symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they can include prolonged or heavy menstrual bleeding, painful periods that get worse, and pelvic pain during sex. These symptoms usually go away after menopause.
Sources (1)
- National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus (A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia)Adenomyosis: MedlinePlus Medical EncyclopediaPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
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