What Are the Differences Between Adenomyosis and Endometriosis?

The innermost layer of the uterus is given the name endometrium. With the oestrogen hormone secreted in the body, the endometrial tissue thickens and prepares the uterus for pregnancy. When pregnancy does not occur, this thickened endometrial tissue is shed and expelled with the menstrual blood. In women this cycle is given the name the menstrual cycle.

In some cases the thickened uterine wall tissue reaches places it should not reach. As a result of this,  the conditions of endometriosis or adenomyosis are seen. Both diseases have some similar symptoms. What is more, endometriosis and adenomyosis can also be seen at the same time.

Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis of the Bowel can accompany these two diseases with a frequency that is by no means low. Why these conditions occur, and why sometimes one alone and sometimes all three together can be seen, still cannot be fully known.

Although it is accepted that adenomyosis and endometriosis arise from the same origin, one of the biggest differences between the two diseases can be expressed as the fact that the places where they settle in the body are completely different. In endometriosis it occurs with the innermost tissue of the uterus developing outside the uterus. This development is seen in organs close to the uterus such as the ovary, the fallopian tubes and the bladder.

Endometriosis can also cause infertility at the same time. Endometriosis is at the same time also known among the public as chocolate cyst. Adenomyosis, on the other hand, is the occurrence of the same uterine tissue not in different organs or at the level of the uterus but in the muscular wall deeper within the uterus.

During the menstrual period the endometrial tissue located among the muscular tissue continues to thicken in a way that differs from normal. However, it cannot be expelled from the uterus. Although adenomyosis is usually seen at more advanced ages, it is also seen at young ages with a frequency that is by no means low.

Because adenomyosis and endometriosis affect different areas of the body, they cause different symptoms. In both diseases the uterine tissue develops in a place other than where it should be. However, this situation does not prevent it from continuing its functions normally. During every menstrual cycle period these tissues thicken, even though they are outside the uterus.

Among the most commonly seen symptoms of endometriosis is pain in the abdominal region. This pain increases further during the menstrual cycle. In addition, pain in the leg or in the lower back, or pain during sexual intercourse can occur. Furthermore, feeling pain when going to the toilet, nausea, vomiting and a feeling of fatigue are among the other symptoms of endometriosis. Adenomyosis, on the other hand, causes a feeling of pressure in the rectum and the bladder. The muscles of the uterus become more tense. It also leads to the menstrual period passing very severely and with cramps.