The Top 24 Things That Will Cause A Flare In What You Thought Was Endometriosis & Adenomyosis Symptoms, But Maybe Isn’t (13-24)

Posted on October 25, 2020October 25, 2020 by Andrew Orr

In the second part of my posts about the top 24 things that will cause a flare in what you thought was endometriosis and adenomyosis symptoms, but may isn’t, I continue with the next 12 causes of what you think is endometriosis, or adenomyosis symptoms, may just be caused by something else?

In this post I continue to bring awareness to the fact that sometimes it is not always Endometriosis, or Adenomyosis causing your current symptoms. It may be one of the following facts only, or in combination. What we need to remember is that many women with endometriosis, and adenomyosis, often have other issues that are flaring their current symptoms, and often present the same as endometriosis and adenomyosis, in their symptomology.

We also know that many other causes of flares of symptoms are often overlooked, and even dismissed, just as endometriosis and adenomyosis is often missed and dismissed.

Many women may have other issues going on at the same time as having endometriosis, or adenomyosis, and it is possible to have both endometriosis and adenomyosis combined and well as having other health issues in combination as well. Just remember that not all your symptoms may be endometriosis, or adenomyosis, and why it is so important to see and expert in these conditions.

If you do need and expert and need help with endometriosis and adenomyosis, please give my friendly staff a call and find out how I may be able to assist you.

Let’s have a look at the next 12 causes of “What You Thought Was Endometriosis and Adenomyosis Symptoms, But Maybe Isn’t”

Causes of a Flare of What You Thought Was Endometriosis and Adenomyosis Symptoms, But Maybe Isn’t ( 13-24)

13.Tight pelvic floor muscles – Pelvic floor hypertonus occurs when the muscles in the pelvic floor become too tight and are unable to relax. Many women with an overly tight and non-relaxing pelvic floor experience pelvic health issues such as constipation, painful sex, urinary urgency, bladder issues and pelvic pain. Women with pelvic floor hypertonus may also have musculoskeletal issues that cause tightness and tension in surrounding hip, sacrum and pelvic muscles. Have a read on my previous post about this. (Click here to read)

14.Interstitial cystitis– Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic inflammatory bladder condition in which there is persisting chronic pelvic pain, urinary frequency and urgency, bladder pain or pressure, and it can also resemble the symptoms of a urinary tract infection, but there will be no infection present. The pain can range from being mild to severe. Women with interstitial cystitis may experience many of the same symptoms as those with endometriosis. Women can have both Interstitial Cystitis and endometriosis at the same time. Some people with IC may also have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Fibromyalgia and other pain syndromes. This is why proper differential diagnosis is very important as this can be missed very often, or completely overlooked. Have a read of my previous post about IC (Click here to read)

15.Pelvic Congestion Syndrome– Pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS) is a chronic condition that occurs in women when varicose veins form below the abdomen within the pelvic region. Pelvic congestion is just like the varicose veins that some women have in their legs, but it affects the veins of the pelvis. Blood backs up in the veins, making them become enlarged and engorged. Pelvic congestion can also cause chronic pelvic pain in some women. Pelvic congestion syndrome does share many of the same symptoms of endometriosis and adenomyosis and it important to have proper differential diagnosis and rule other causes of pelvic pain out first. Sometimes the varicose veins that cause pelvic congestion syndrome can be present alongside endometriosis and adenomyosis, or other pelvic issues. Have a read of my previous post about PCS (Click here to read)

16.Constipation and full bowel- A common cause of pelvic pain and abdominal pain and bloating and caused by constipation and a full bowel that is slowly backing up and starting to compact. In serious cases, the bowel can compact and even perforate if not addressed soon enough. When the bowel is not fully voided, it can lead to backing up of the bowel. Many people are still moving their bowel each day, but just do not realise, it is not being voided properly. This can lead to pain, gastrointestinal issues and also feeling unwell, due to not voiding waste from the body. It is a very commonly overlooked issue. This is why women need look at restoring the microbiome properly and also drinking enough water, eating enough fibre and also creating good bowel habits and not holding on too long at work.

17.Lack of sleep – Lack of quality sleep is a major issue for many women and is a common cause of their fatigue, increased pain, and exacerbation of symptoms, interference of moods, and a whole range of health issues physically and mentally. Sleep deprivation leads to reduction in hormones such as melatonin, which is a precursor to serotonin and then affect the moods etc. Lack of sleep also interferes with the other hormones in our body too. Lack of sleep also stops the body from repairing and can lead to increased inflammation within the body. We know that shift works do have a lot more disturbances with their menstrual cycles and also have lower fertility rates.

18.Over-exercising– Over-exercise can lead to tight pelvic floor muscles and hypertonus, but it can also lead to decrease body fats as well. Body fat plays a regulatory process with hormones and fertility. A significant decrease in body fact (10-15%) can lead to decreased hormone production and actually stop the menses and interfere with fertility. Over exercise can also cause stress and inflammation in the body and can also lead to adrenal exhaustion and fatigue. It is all about balance.

19.Lack of exercise– Lack of exercise if a big factor in a lot of people’s health issues. Lack of blood flow and lack of circulation to muscles and tissues, especially the uterus and vagina, can have some serious consequences for women’s health and gynaecological conditions. Without proper microcirculation into the uterus, and vagina and reproductive organs, these areas can become highly stressed, lack vital nutrients and then leads to inflammation, pain and other irregularities. It is a catch 22 situation. Too much exercise is not good, but similarly, not enough exercise is just as bad for us. While sometimes we may not feel like exercising, the fact is, research has shown that regular exercise can, and does help with pain, and other symptoms of endometriosis and adenomyosis.

20.Environmental Estrogens– According to a landmark US study published by the US department of environmental health, there are 87,000 plus environmental estrogens we are exposed to in all countries around the world, some being worse than others. These can be anything from plastics, detergents, petroleum products, chemicals and even the contraceptive pill ending up in our water ways. These endocrine disruptors (AKA as environmental estrogens) can interfere with hormones within our body and also lead to inflammation and many health issues. They have also been linked to the increase in lower fertility rates and the increase in expression of genetic mutations within the body. Endometriosis and adenomyosis is driven by estrogen and this may be a big factor in the increase in women with endometriosis and adenomyosis.

21.Lack of blood/increase of blood circulation– The microcirculation of the uterus, vagina and reproductive organs is a very important one and one of the reasons getting proper blood flow and improving microcirculation into these areas is important. I talked about this in the lack of exercise part. It is also important to check women for hereditary blood clotting and also bleeding disorders. All women with gynaecological and fertility issues should be screened for blood clotting disorders via prothrombotic studies and also bleeding disorders such as Von Willebrands Disease, when suspected.

22.Musculoskeletal issues– Women with postural issues, or their spine out of alignment can also experience referral pain, and pelvic pain due. It is important to have musculoskeletal causes of pain assessed by a qualified healthcare professional (physio/chiropractor/osteopath). When muscles are too tight, it can cause sublaxations, which can then impinge on nerves and also cause referral pain and other health issues within the body. Damage to nerves and tissue, such as pudendal nerve neuralgia can also cause pain and referral pain in the lower abdomen, pelvis and vagina.

23.Excess weight and body fat– At present up to 70% (or more) of Australians, and Americans, are either overweight, or obese, so we can no longer ignore what the consequences of these statistics mean. We know that excess weight and excess body fat is linked to serious health consequences. Excess body fat in men and women leads to higher levels of the hormone leptin. Excess body fat is also now referred to as obestrogens, as they cause the same health consequences as environmental estrogens (known as endocrine disruptors). These excess body fats and higher levels of leptin do impair production of sex hormones and also reduces fertility. It can also lead to poorer sperm quality, poorer egg quality and can also increase the risk of miscarriage. Excess body fat, especially excess abdominal fat, is also linked to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and other health issues. It also interferes with the regulation of sex hormones and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). This can then increase the risk of irregular cycles, PCOS, endometriosis, adenomyosis, miscarriage and other factors affecting fertility. Excess body fat can also be a major driving factor of endometriosis and adenomyosis, due to the estrogenic effects it has. This is why reduction in body fat and a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle is imperative in the management of women’s health and fertility.

24. Iron Deficiency– Iron deficiency can be a very serious issues, and many women do not realise the health risk associated with it, and how often it goes undiagnosed. It can lead to disruption of hormones, and can lead to fatigue and exacerbation of pain and emotionally generated symptoms. Let’s face it, without iron, you aren’t going to be transporting oxygen around your body and then your muscles, brain, hormones and circulation suffer as a result of this. Women with endometriosis and adenomyosis are nearly always iron deficient from the heavy blood losses they suffer, or the internal bleeds they get from flares of endometriosis lesions. Have a look at my previous past on the serious consequences of low iron and why managing iron levels is so important (Click here to read)

The Top 24 Things That Will Cause A Flare In What You Thought Was Endometriosis & Adenomyosis Symptoms, But Maybe Isn’t (1-12)

Posted on October 24, 2020October 24, 2020 by Andrew Orr

Many people often talk about how they get flares of their endometriosis and adenomyosis symptoms often. While in some cases it may actually be the endometriosis, or adenomyosis causing their flare, in truth, many times it is other things actually causing their flare and it is so important to understand this. Maybe what you think is endometriosis, or adenomyosis symptoms, may just be caused by something else?

In this post I want to bring awareness to the fact that sometimes it is not always Endometriosis, or Adenomyosis causing your current symptoms. It may be one of the following facts only, or in combination. What we need to remember is that many women with endometriosis, and adenomyosis, often have other issues that are flaring their current symptoms, and often present the same as endometriosis and adenomyosis, in their symptomology.

We also know that many other causes of flares of symptoms are often overlooked, and even dismissed, just as endometriosis and adenomyosis is often missed and dismissed.

If you do need and expert and need help with endometriosis and adenomyosis, please give my friendly staff a call and find out how I may be able to assist you.

Let’s have a look at the first 12 cause of “What You Thought Was Endometriosis and Adenomyosis Symptoms, But Maybe Isn’t”

Causes of a Flare of What You Thought Was Endometriosis and Adenomyosis Symptoms, But Maybe Isn’t ( 1-12)

1.Stress – Stress is the one of the biggest causes of ill health, or in exacerbating current health issues and their symptoms. Stress also heightens pain pathways, it increases inflammation, interferes with moods, disrupts hormone pathways and also increases acidity in the body. This then leads to increase in symptoms such as pain, gastrointestinal issues, fatigue, and increase in emotionally generated symptoms. Have a read of my previous article of this (Click here to read)

2.Anxiety– Anxiety is also a big cause in aggravating and exacerbating symptoms of endometriosis/adenomyosis. When control issues are heightened, the body spirals out of control and anxiety kicks in and exacerbates symptoms. This also heightens pain pathways like stress does, and also disrupts hormone pathways as well. This then drives pain pathways, upsets the gastrointestinal system, disrupts sleep and also creates fatigue. I have done a previous post of anxiety and pain pathways previously (Click here to read)

3.Busyness– Busyness is one of the number one drivers of stress and anxiety issues. Lack of time out and on the go, pushes the body to exhaustion, and also activates adrenalin and cortisol levels, which in turn interfere with hormone pathways. Busyness is really stress under another name, and can produce all the same symptoms as stress does. Busyness can also be a big factor with fertility and pregnancy too. See previous post (Click here to read)

4.Alcohol– One of the number one things to flare endometriosis/adenomyosis symptoms and any gynaecological issue is alcohol, especially excess alcohol. Alcohol can also be a big factor in period pain and also irregular cycles. It can also exacerbate heavy bleeding, especially with adenomyosis. Alcohol is full of sugars and it really is a drug and a toxin, especially in higher doses. Alcohol is also inflammatory and will exacerbate inflammatory conditions in the body. Alcohol also adds to fluid retention and body fat, and can interfere with moods.

5.Smoking – Smoking not only adds to inflammation in the body, but it also increases the risk of certain cancers, including gynaecological The byproducts of cigarette smoke have been found in the cervical mucus of women and these toxins are literally leaching into your uterus, your vagina, and surrounding tissues and organs. Ewwwww. Smoking definitely increases inflammatory processes in the body and leads to increases symptoms.

6.Refined foods– Highly refined foods increase blood sugar levels, which then makes the body store fat, and stops the burning of fat.
Excess body fat also drives inflammation, and is also estrogenic. Estrogen drives endometriosis/adenomyosis.
Excess refined carbs also cause increase insulin, which in turn causes inflammation in the body too. This increase inflammation exacerbates pain pathways and other symptomatic responses in the body.
A lot of refined foods are from grains, which also contain gluten. Gluten causes gut irritation and inflammation – a lot of people won’t even realise that their problems are caused by gluten. Have a listen to my video blog about a proper diet (Click here to read)

7.Too much sugar– Excess sugars and things such as chocolate (big one) is a big driver of inflammation in the body. The excess sugars also make the body store fat, and they also increase pain and exacerbate pain pathways. The excess sugars also disrupt the gut microbiome and increase bad bacteria, which also drive inflammation and increase gastrointestinal issues such as bloating and abdominal pain. It can also affect bowel function. Have a read of my post about the toxic consequences of sugar ( Click here to read)

8.Legumes (chickpeas, lentils, soy etc)- Lentils, beans (i.e. kidney, pinto, broad etc),peanuts (they aren’t nuts, despite the name), soy beans, garbanzos and chickpeas are alllegumes. Like grains, legumes too contain harmful substances such as lectins and phytates, inhibiting nutrient absorption and causing inflammation. They also cause gas and bloating and many people do not realise the reactions they can cause in the body.
Raw legumes are toxic, so they need to be prepared (by soaking,rising, cooking, sprouting or fermenting) – however, preparation doesn’t entirely negate the harmful effects of the lectins. Despite soaking and activating, many people still react badly .
Soy is particularly bad, since the phytoestrogens content acts like the female sex hormone estrogen. This has been shown to have some damaging effects with healthy hormone functions. Endometriosis and adenomyosis is estrogen driven and women should stay away from soy and soy based products where possible.

9.Excess bad bacteria – Buildup of bad bacteria, called dysbiotic bacteria can cause inflammation and ill-health, physically and emotionally. A buildup of bad bacteria is a common cause of abdominal pain and bloating in women with endometriosis and adenomyosis. I have discussed dysbiotic bacteria is a previous post (Click here to read)

10.Acidic foods– Acidic foods may cause or aggravate certain digestive disorders, such as acid reflux gastroesophageal reflux disease, otherwise known as GERD. Acidic foods can also add to inflammatory processes in the body and why there is now mounting evidence to use a more alkaline diet for those with chronic inflammatory disease states. Common acidic foods are alcohol, certain citrus fruits, soft drinks, processed foods, refined foods, junk foods, and tomato based products.

11.Junk foods – Junk foods contain all sorts of nasty things, from trans fats(carcinogenic fats), additives, preservatives, saturated fats, acid, gluten, soy, refined grains, processed foods, environmental estrogens, high sugar and a whole lot of others things that can create inflammation in the body and add to exacerbating someone’s symptoms. This one goes without saying, yet some many people do not realise that just one serving of junk food could exacerbate symptoms for days, or longer.

12.Certain medications– Medications can be both friend and foe, depending on the length of time someone has taken them, and also the side effect profile of a certain medication. Certain medications can also cause withdrawal effects each day, and they can exacerbate symptoms of your health issue, including pain. This can also go for natural medicines taken wrongly, or taken for too long a period. This is why it is always important to be properly managed and monitored by a qualified healthcare professional. Have a read about this issue in a previous post (click here to read)

The facts you need to know about surgery, and everything that should happen afterwards- Part 2

Posted on October 21, 2020October 21, 2020 by Andrew Orr

The second part to “The facts you need to know about surgery, and everything that should happen afterwards”

In this new video blog I talk about the most important part of helping a chronic health issues, and that is the management of an issue post surgery.

All too often people have surgical intervention, but then do nothing as part of the follow up, and this is where many go wrong, and end up back at where they started from

Have a listen to my latest post of this very important subject.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Master of Women’s Health Medicine

-The Experts Program

Surgical Intervention- “But what if they don’t find anything?”

Posted on August 17, 2020August 17, 2020 by Andrew Orr

One of the things I often gets asked is “If I have surgery, what if they don’t find anything?”

All sorts of things go around in people head, and rightfully so, but may think that if nothing is found that that their symptoms are all in their head. Not so.

Just because there is nothing found via surgical intervention, does not mean that there is nothing there, or there is no disease state. It just means it cannot be visually seen.

Here in this video I explain all this and more.

Many Fertility & Women’s Health Issues Could Be Traced Back To Mismanagement At Around Age 13

Posted on July 17, 2020July 17, 2020 by Andrew Orr

Early this week, I was talking with a colleague about how I would love to be able to see all women before they head into IVF, or see them when they were a teenager to educate them and help the with a better future for their fertility and gynaecological health.

My colleague then said to me “The issue is that most women are mismanaged at around age 13 and this is why they end up having fertility issues and ongoing gynaecological and menstrual related issues later on.”

The truth is, if we really to trace back the cause, or start of a woman’s fertility, gynaecological, or menstrual related issues, it would most likely be due to mismanagement at around age 13 when she first got her period. In this video I bring light to this very introspective, and very interesting topic that many probably have not thought about. It isn’t always mismanaged by the people you think it is either.

Let’s bring better education and awareness to women’s health issues because we know that early intervention and early management if the key to better future outcomes. It all starts with education first. Have a listen to my video on this very important topic (click on the youtube video link to watch

If you, or your daughter needs help with a menstrual issue, or period pain etc, please give my friendly staff a call and ask how I may be able to assist you.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Master of Women’s Health Medicine

-Master of Reproductive Medicine

-The Endometriosis Experts

-The Experts Program

The Link Between Endometriosis & Cancer

Posted on May 20, 2020May 20, 2020 by Andrew Orr

One of the most common questions that I get asked from women with endometriosis is “Is there a link between endometriosis and cancer?”

There has been many research papers on this and there is some evidence to suggest that women with endometriosis may have a higher risk of certain cancers such as endometrial cancer and also ovarian cancer.

We all know that Endometriosis is a debilitating disease, but many people don’t realise the possible future implications of this disease, mixed with our highly inflammatory diets and lifestyle. Unfortunately it is a recipe for any inflammatory disease, and for expression of cancer cells.

There have been many reputable studies to date showing the link between inflammation and cancer and endometriosis is definitely an inflammatory disease that needs proper management otherwise some studies are now suggesting it could be a precursor to certain cancers.

This isn’t meant to scare anyone either. It is just to help people realise the possible implications of this disease and to be more proactive around getting yourself and your body healthier and also being properly managed by a qualified health professional. When it come to cancerous states, prevention is key and early intervention is also.

Better education is needed

Given that, we need to really take this disease more seriously than many people with the disease and many in the medical community probably realise. Prevention is always the key to any disease and even though endometriosis cannot be prevented, early intervention and ongoing management of the disease is crucial. This is why I think all young girls should be educated about what a proper menstrual cycle should be like and that period pain is not normal. There also needs to be proper education about diet and lifestyle interventions with inflammatory diseases, such as endometriosis, and how it also needs a multimodality approach to be managed properly.

Endometriosis is like cancer in many ways

Endometriosis, like cancer, is characterised by cell invasion and unrestrained growth. Furthermore, endometriosis and cancer are similar in other aspects, such as the development of new blood vessels and a decrease in the number of cells undergoing apoptosis. In spite of these similarities, endometriosis is not considered a malignant disorder.

The possibility that endometriosis could, however, transform and become cancer has been debated in the literature since 1925. Mutations in the certain genes have been implicated in the cause of endometriosis and in the progression to cancer of the ovary (Swiersz 2006). There is also data to support that ovarian endometriosis could have the potential for malignant transformation. Epidemiologic and genetic studies support this notion. It seems that endometriosis is associated with specific types of ovarian cancer (endometrioid and clear cell) (Vlahos et al, 2010). The relationship between endometriosis and ovarian cancer is an intriguing and still poorly investigated issue. Specifically, histological findings indicate a definitive association between endometriosis and endometrioid/clear cell carcinoma of the ovary (Parihar & Mirge 2009).

Women with endometriosis may be more prone to certain cancers

There are recent studies which have shown that mutations in the certain genes found were identified in 20% of endometrial carcinomas and 20.6% of solitary endometrial cysts, played a part in the development of ovarian cancers. In addition to cancerous transformation at the site of endometriosis, there is recent evidence to indicate that having endometriosis itself may increase a woman’s risk of developing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, malignant melanoma, and breast cancer (Swiersz 2014).

Women with endometriosis appear to be more likely to develop certain types of cancer. Brinton, PhD, Chief of the Hormonal and Reproductive Epidemiology branch at the National Cancer Institute has studied the long-term effects of endometriosis, which led her to Sweden about 20 years ago. Using the country’s national inpatient register, she identified more than 20,000 women who had been hospitalised for endometriosis.

After an average follow-up of more than 11 years, the risk for cancer among these women was elevated by 90% for ovarian cancer, 40% for hematopoietic cancer (primarily non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma), and 30% for breast cancer. Having a longer history of endometriosis and being diagnosed at a young age were both associated with increased ovarian cancer risk (Brinton et al, 1997).

Farr Nezhat, MD, Chief of Gynecologic Minimally Invasive Surgery and Robotics at St. Luke’s and Roosevelt Hospitals in New York City and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Columbia University, spoke on the pathogenesis of endometriosis and ovarian cancer. According to a 2000 study of women with ovarian cancer by Hiroyuki Yoshikawa and colleagues, endometriosis was present in 39% of the women with clear cell tumours and 21% of those with endometrial tumours. The studies clearly suggest that Endometriosis may be the precursor of clear cell, or endometrial ovarian cancer (Yoshikawa et al, 2000).

Inflammation and Estrogens are a big factor in many cancers

If you combine inflammation with oestrogen as with both endometriosis and ovarian or uterine cancers, it’s going to be a vicious circle, as the 2 diseases share numerous other characteristics. For example, both are related to early menstrual cycles and late menopause, infertility, and inability to fall pregnant. Any factors that relieve or offer protection against both conditions need to be explored, including dietary and lifestyle changes etc.

Some authors also suggest that there is an also increased risks of colon cancer, ovarian cancer, thyroid cancer non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and malignant melanoma in women with endometriosis when compared with the general population (Brinton et al, 2005).

Proper management and early intervention is crucial

If you do have patients with endometriosis you do need to take into consideration the future implications of this disease, not only the pain and turmoil it causes on the way, but also the future possibility that endometriosis could also lead to cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, or many of the other cancers that can be found in the body.

There are certain medications, both natural based and medical that can great assist in the treatments and management of endometriosis and microscopic endometriosis implants. These do need to be explored and we now have the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recommending diet and lifestyle changes and to use complementary medicine such and Chinese Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture for the the management and treatment of endometriosis. This is recommended alongside medical interventions and it does get back to a multimodality approach is the key factor in proper management of this disease.

Diet and lifestyle changes are crucial in cancer prevention

There have been numerous studies showing the benefits of a low inflammatory based diet and reduction in lifestyle factors such as stress. These things are also crucial in any inflammatory disease and certainly in cancer prevention.

Anyone with endometriosis does need to be following anti-inflammatory diet, with reduced refined foods and increased whole foods. This is something I promote whole-heartedly and see great results with on a daily basis. It is also part of my PACE- Diet and Lifestyle program. PACE meaning (Paleo/Primal Ancestral Clean Eating) .

This style of diet is very much like the mediterranean diet which is now shown to be one of the best diets in the world to help with cancer prevention and reduction of cardiovascular disease. It is something that has been shown to assist with inflammatory diseases such as endometriosis. This can be done alongside supplements such as omega 3 oils and antioxidants that also offer protection and prevention against inflammatory diseases too. You should also talk to a qualified healthcare professional about diet and lifestyle interventions and supplementation.

See an Endometriosis Expert

Hope that helps everyone to understand why it is so important to really make some proactive changes if you do have endometriosis. You really need to explore as many options as you can when trying to manage this disease and halt its progression. It is also important to see an endometriosis expert and not try and manage this disease yourself. You just should not be doing this and it is not effective management. Always see an appropriately trained healthcare professional who is trained in endometriosis and other disease states in women. We don’t want to see it end up as cancer later on and this is why it is so important to make sure you are being appropriately managed now.

Final Word

If you do need help with endometriosis, and the associated symptoms of endometriosis, give my friendly staff a call and find out how I can help you. Always remember that early intervention is the key and being managed properly is also crucial.

Take care

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Master of Reproductive Medicine

-Master of Women’s Health Medicine

-The Endometriosis Experts

What The Hell is Pelvic Floor Hypertonus?

Posted on May 4, 2020May 4, 2020 by Andrew Orr

Pelvic floor hypertonus is a condition that not many people hear about, or even know about. Often when we talk about pelvic floor dysfunction many people will automatically think of weak pelvic floor muscles often created from having children, or part of the aging process. This is where the pelvic floor muscles are too relaxing and need tightening and strengthening.

However more and more we are now seeing women, especially young women, with pelvic floor muscles that are too tight and non-relaxed and this is leading to chronic pelvic pain and other pelvic health and sexual health issues. This is called Pelvic Floor Hypertonus. For this article I will be talking about how Pelvic Floor Hypertonus affects women, even though men can have this as well.

What is Pelvic Floor Hypertonus?

Pelvic floor hypertonus occurs when the muscles in the pelvic floor become too tight and are unable to relax. Many women with an overly tight and non-relaxing pelvic floor experience pelvic health issues such as constipation, painful sex, urinary urgency, bladder issues and pelvic pain. Women with pelvic floor hypertonus may also have musculoskeletal issues that cause tightness and tension in surrounding hip, sacrum and pelvic muscles.

Pelvic floor hypertonus is not widely recognized and can often go on undiagnosed. It is certainly on the missed and dismissed list. Unlike in pelvic floor disorders caused by muscles too relaxed and are easily identified (such as pelvic organ prolapse or urinary incontinence etc), women affected by pelvic floor hypertonus may present with a broad range of nonspecific symptoms mentioned previously and below. All these related symptoms require relaxation and coordination of pelvic floor muscles and urinary and anal sphincters. Many of these symptoms can really affect the quality of woman’s life.

The signs and symptoms of pelvic floor hypertonus

The main and typical symptom of pelvic floor hypertonus is pelvic pain, or pelvic muscular pain. There can be a wide range of other symptoms including the following:

Urinary issues such as urge frequency, frequent urination or painful urination
Incontinence
Slow flow, hesitancy, or delayed start of urination
Constipation and straining when emptying the bowels.
incomplete emptying of the bowels
pressure feeling in the pelvis and rectum
pain in the pelvis, genitals or rectum
chronic pelvic pain
muscles spasms in the pelvis, or pelvic floor
low back pain
hip pain
coccyx pain
painful sex
vaginismus

If left untreated pelvic floor hypertonus can lead to long term health issues, colon and bladder damage and can also cause infection.

What causes pelvic floor hypertonus?

There is no one defining cause of pelvic floor hypertonus. Many things can cause non-relaxing pelvic floor muscles ranging from sitting too much, exercising too much, obesity, stress and also chronic inflammatory disease states. Here are some of the causes of pelvic floor hypertonus:

Endometriosis
Adenomyosis
Interstitial cystitis
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Pudendal Neuralgia
Vulvodynia
History of holding onto the bowels, or bladder too long
Over exercising and over exercising the core muscles
Being sedentary, or over-sitting too long
High levels of stress, fear and anxiety
Obesity or being overweight
Child Birth, or Birth Trauma
Injury to the pelvic floor
Sexual and emotional abuse
Surgery
Nerve Damage

It is very important to identify the cause of pelvic floor hypertonus individually and why it is so important to see a healthcare expert, or pelvic floor specialist that specialises in this area. As with many other inflammatory conditions, a multimodality treatments approach is needed and may involved several modalities, or practitioners working together to help the individual. A pelvic floor physiotherapist may also be needed to help with exercises to relax the pelvic floor along with other modalities such as acupuncture to help with pain, relaxation and stress relief.

What are some of the things that can benefit pelvic floor hypertonus?

As mentioned before, it is important to see a healthcare expert who can identify what the cause of the pelvic floor hypertonus is and recommend a management and treatment plan moving forward. This will usually require a multimodality treatment approach, which could involve the following:

Pelvic floor muscle relaxation techniques
Mindfulness and meditation techniques
Breathing techniques
Pilates and yoga to help with stretching
Advice on better bladder and bowel habits
Pelvic floor and core muscle releasing abdominal massage
Specific stretches for the pelvis, hips and sacrum
The use of vaginal dilators, and/or vaginal eggs to help with relaxing and stretching the pelvic floor muscles
Acupuncture to help with pain, stress and relaxation, alongside medical interventions.
Massage to help with internal scar tissue (done by a pelvic floor physiotherapist)
Warm baths and self care
Use of TENS and electro-neuro stimulators to help with pain
Biofeedback therapy
Pain medications and muscles relaxants
Complementary medicines (prescribed by a qualified healthcare professional)
Surgery

Outlook and importance of seeing an expert

The main goal of treating and managing pelvic floor hypertonus is to relax the muscles of the pelvic floor to relieve pain and other associated symptoms.

Although living with pelvic floor hypertonus embarrassing or sometimes painful, non relaxing pelvic floor dysfunction is a highly treatable condition. It is important that you talk to a healthcare expert in this area, or a pelvic floor specialist. It’s important not to self-diagnose your symptoms, or try to Dr Google your symptoms, because left untreated pelvic floor hypertonus can lead to long term pain and health issues and also irreparable damage.

There are many conservative management approaches that can be used before resorting to hard-core pain medications, muscle relaxants and surgery. Your healthcare expert will be able to discuss all these options and ongoing healthcare management and treatments with you. The main thing is booking a consultation with a proper healthcare expert to get a proper diagnosis.

If you need help and assistance with pelvic floor hypertonus, or pelvic pain, please give my friendly staff a call and find out how I can assist you.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Master of Women’s Health Medicine

-The Women’s Health Experts

Endometriosis Awareness Month – March 2020

Posted on March 1, 2020March 1, 2020 by Andrew Orr

This month is Endometriosis Awareness Month and it is so important to bring awareness to this disease that affects millions of women world wide.

1 in 10 women have endometriosis and those are the ones diagnosed. A significant portion of women with endometriosis are asymptomatic and many women do not realise they have it, or have been missed and dismissed along the way. This means the 1 in 10 women with endometriosis is grossly understated.

There is often up to 10 years or more to diagnosis, which means that many women are missed and dismissed before they are finally diagnosed. The only way to definitively diagnosed endometriosis is via surgical intervention (laparoscopy with histology). Scans and blood tests cannot definitely diagnose endometriosis.

The one message that all of us involved in the education and awareness of endometriosis want everyone to know is that “Period Pain” is not normal. While slight discomfort with a period may be normal, pain (especially bad period pain) is not normal. Period pain can be a sign of endometriosis.

While period pain is often the most talked about point of endometriosis, we also need to educate all that endometriosis just isn’t about period pain. There are so many other associated symptoms that we need to bring awareness to as well.

The common signs of endometriosis are:
Period Pain
Pain with intercourse
Ovulation pain
IBS like symptoms
Pain on bowel movement
Bleeding from the bowel
UTI like symptoms (without infection present)
Fatigue
Anxiety and mood disorders
Bloating (can be severe)- also known as endo belly
Musculosketal pain
Pelvic and rectal pressure feeling
Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB)
Others

Endometriosis has hereditary links and it now thought to be genetic. Endometriosis is driven by estrogen, so even small amounts of exogenous estrogens will drive the disease. It is not from estrogen dominance and it is not autoimmune.

Endometriosis is basically normal tissue growing in abnormal areas. It behaves very much like cancer, but it is not cancerous. Endometriosis has been found in every part of the body and it can cause damage to multiple organs if it is not managed properly.

Many women with endometriosis are poorly managed, or are not being managed at all. This is why there needs to be more awareness about the serious complications of unmanaged endometriosis.

This month I will be focussing on the facts about Endometriosis and am also very excited be launching the first network of practitioners who are experts in Endometriosis called “The Endometriosis Experts”. There will also be a launch of other experts programs called “The PCOS Experts”, “The Women’s Health Experts” and “The International Fertility Experts”. Stay tuned for more exciting news to follow.

This month please also support Endometriosis Australia and the “Endo March” High Teas. I will be posting more information about these as well.

Lastly, if you have unmanaged endometriosis, or have bad period pain etc, please make sure you seek help for this. If you do need help, you can call my friendly staff and find out how I can assist you and more about my online, or in person consultations.

Please do not put up with period pain, or other menstrual related symptoms, or unmanaged endometriosis. Nobody can manage these symptoms themselves and why it is so important to see an Endometriosis expert.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Master of Women’s Health Medicine

-The Endometriosis Experts

The Serious Health Complications Of Low Iron

Posted on February 25, 2020February 25, 2020 by Andrew Orr

In the last couple of weeks I have been talking about the serious complications of people not having their health managed properly. It seems to be a big issue and with my latest post, the issue of unmanaged, or undiagnosed low iron is also becoming a very serious issue indeed. So for this post I will be talking about the serious health complications of low iron.

Two thirds of body iron is present in circulating red blood cells known as haemoglobin. Each gram of haemoglobin contains about 4gms of iron and each ml of blood lost from the body results in a loss of about half a milligram of iron.

Bleeding is the most common cause of iron deficiency. This could be from either a diagnosed, or undiagnosed gynaecological issues (endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids, polyps, other) or it could be from a parasite infection. It could also be from bleeding as part of a gastrointestinal issue, or part of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBS, Crohn’s Coeliac disease).

There could be other reasons for blood loss in the body, or reduction of iron and many of these conditions, and the conditions above, can go unrecognised and then cause iron deficiency anaemia. Some of these issues can be very serious, or even fatal.

Excessive menstrual losses are often overlooked with many women. This is something that should not happen and should be part of the questioning with any low iron status. The problem is, unless the menstrual flow changes, patients typically do not seek medical attention for heavy menstrual bleeding. Sometimes when a healthcare practitioner asks, these patients generally report that their menses are normal. It may be normal to them, but we need to educate women that heavy blood loss is not normal and can lead to anaemia.

Because of the marked differences among women with regard to menstrual blood loss (10-250 mL per menses), patients meed to be asked about their menstrual history and about a specific history of bleeding, blood flow, abnormal bleeding in between cycles, clots, cramps, and the use of multiple tampons and pads. These are very important questions to ask and sadly many women are not being asked these questions, or having further questioning about their menstrual, or overall health, including dietary intake etc.

What is iron deficiency anemia?

Anaemia occurs when you have a decreased level of haemoglobin in your red blood cells (RBCs). Haemoglobin is the protein in your red blood cells that is responsible for carrying oxygen to your tissues.

Iron deficiency anaemia is the most common type of anaemia that women present with, and it occurs when your body doesn’t have enough iron. Your body needs iron to make haemoglobin. When there isn’t enough iron in your blood stream, the rest of your body can’t get the amount of oxygen it needs. Today in a recent post I talked about iron being like trucks, or the transporters of oxygen around the body.

While iron deficiency may be common, many people don’t know they have iron deficiency anemia. It’s possible to experience the symptoms for years without ever having it diagnosed, or the cause of the iron deficiency diagnosed either. It is a very serious issue that needs some serious attention.

In women of childbearing age, the most common cause of iron deficiency anemia is a loss of iron in the blood due to heavy menstruation or pregnancy. A poor diet or certain intestinal diseases that affect how the body absorbs iron can also cause iron deficiency anemia. Women who adopt a vegan diet will also be prone to being iron deficient and vitamin B12 deficient.

Disruption to the microbiome and leaky gut syndrome can also cause iron deficient anaemia too.

One of the best ways to treat the condition is through iron infusion, and also with iron supplements, or changes to diet. We also need to make sure the cause of the iron deficiency is addressed as well.

Symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia

The symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia can be mild at first, and some people may not even notice them. Many people are completely unaware that they may be low in iron, or are actually iron deficient.

The symptoms of moderate to severe iron deficiency anaemia include:

general fatigue
weakness
pale skin
Bruising easy
shortness of breath
Palpitations
dizziness
Strange cravings to eat items that aren’t food, such as dirt, ice, or clay
Tingling or crawling feeling in the legs
Tongue swelling or soreness
Cold hands and feet
Tachycardia
Brittle nails
Headaches and migraines
Sore joints
Brain fog and lack of concentration.

The serious complications of unmanaged iron deficiency.

Undiagnosed, or unmanaged iron-deficiency may cause the following severe complications:

Heart problems.If you do not have enough hemoglobin-carrying red blood cells, your heart has to work harder to move oxygen-rich blood through your body. When your heart has to work harder, this can lead to several conditions: irregular heartbeats called arrhythmias, a heart murmur, an enlarged heart, or even heart failure.
Severe anemia due to any cause may produce hypoxemia and enhance the occurrence of coronary insufficiency and myocardial ischemia.
Increased risk of infections- Research has shown that iron deficiency anaemia can affect your immune system (the body’s natural defence system), making you more susceptible to illness and infection.
Motor or cognitivedevelopment delays- This mainly occurs in children. Children deficient in iron may exhibit behavioral disturbances.
Behaviour issues and mood disorders- Behavioral disturbances may manifest as an attention deficit disorder, or mood disorder such as : Depression Unipolar depressive disorder, Bipolar disorder, Anxiety disorder, Autism spectrum disorder, Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, Tic disorder, Delayed development and other some other psychiatric issues.
Pregnancy complications- Iron deficiency can lead to preterm delivery or giving birth to a baby with low birth weight.
The neurologic damage to an iron-deficient foetus results in permanent neurologic injury and typically does not resolve on its own, or by supplementation.
Chronic Health Conditions worsened- In people with chronic conditions, iron-deficiency anaemia can make their condition worse or result in treatments not working as well.
Dysphagia (Difficulty swallowing)- This may occur with foods due to abnormal muscle and nerve control. This could result in choking. It can also lead to throat cancers.
Atrophic gastritis – This occurs in iron deficiency with progressive loss of acid secretion, and causes inflammation of the gastric mucosa with loss of the gastric glandular cells and replacement by intestinal-type epithelium, and fibrous tissue
Tiredness- As iron deficiency anaemia can leave you tired and lethargic (lacking in energy), you may be less productive and active at work. Your ability to stay awake and focus can be reduced, and you may not feel able to exercise regularly.
Fainting– Low iron can cause fainting and this could be dangerous in many situations, especially at work places, or working on machinery, or driving a car.
Cold Intolerance– Cold intolerance develops in one fifth of patients with chronic iron deficiency anaemia and is manifested by neurologic pain, vasomotor disturbances, or numbness and tingling.
Issues with Brain and Optic Nerve– Rarely, severe iron deficiency anaemia is associated with papilledema (optic disc swelling), increased intracranial pressure, and the clinical picture of pseudotumor cerebri. These manifestations are all corrected with iron therapy.
Migraines– Research has now shown that there are certain types of migraines caused by iron deficiency
Death – Caused by some of the issues mentioned above

The importance of proper management

Hopefully now everyone can see why iron is so important and that people with iron deficiency need to see their healthcare practitioner for proper help and proper management . Iron deficiency anemia isn’t something to self-diagnose or treat. It needs to be diagnosed, treated and managed properly. In many cases an iron infusion is the best and quickest way to get iron levels back up. Have a read of my post about iron infusions. Click here

Iron infusions are the quickest way of getting iron levels back up

In the case of low, or severely low iron, supplements just are not enough. They take too long to get levels up and the damage to your body in waiting too long can also be serious. Always see your healthcare practitioner, or specialist, for a diagnosis rather than trying to manage low iron on your own, or just taking iron supplements on your own. Overloading the body with too much iron can be dangerous too, because excess iron accumulation can damage your liver and cause other complications.

Final Word

This is why everyone needs to be managed by a properly trained healthcare professional with any health issue, especially low iron. If your practitioner is not able to assist you, please make sure you get a second or third opinion. Some practitioners may not be well versed in the serious complications of low iron, or know much about iron infusions etc.

If you do need help with managing the symptoms of low iron, you can call my friendly staff and find out how I can assist you. For more information please call +61 07 38328369 or email info@drandreworr.com.au

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Master of Women’s Health Medicince

-Master of Reproductive Medicine

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

The Complications That Can Result From Unmanaged Endometriosis

Posted on February 11, 2020February 11, 2020 by Andrew Orr

A lot of the information about endometriosis, is more about it’s symptoms, time to diagnosis and future fertility outcomes. While it is necessary to educate people about these things, nobody is really talking about the serious complications of unmanaged endometriosis. This is not to scare people, or create fear, but at the same time it does need to be talked about and for all concerned to know how serious this disease state can be at its worst.

We know that many women are missed and dismissed when it comes to endometriosis. It often takes up to 10 years, or even more for some women, before they are definitively diagnosed. Some women are never diagnosed and end up suffering a terrible life because of it. Some women with endometriosis are asymptomatic (meaning no symptoms) and often only get diagnosed as part of fertility evaluation, when they may be having trouble conceiving.

The symptoms of endometriosis are easy to see

The symptoms of endometriosis are very easy to see, if someone knows what they are looking for and knows the right questions to ask. Sure, a definite diagnosis via laparoscopy is still needed, but there are some very clear-cut pointers that a woman may have the disease. But due to lack of education and lack of true experts in this area means that lots of women are missed and dismissed, and that is a fact.

The vicious cycle of mismanagement

But while there are inadequacies in the healthcare profession when it comes to endometriosis, not all mismanagement can be blamed on healthcare professionals. There are people who are not seeking proper help soon enough, and some not at all, and this can lead to long-term complications too. We also have women trying to manage their own disease through advice of friends, social media groups and Dr Google as well. This then creates one hell of a mismanaged cycle that does not help anyone.

I can see the issues from all points of view, especially those who suffer the disease. But as a healthcare professional with a special interest in Endometriosis, I have had my fair share of non-compliant patients too.

While many have been let down through mismanagement, lack of funding and education, being missed and dismissed etc, there are many women who are self sabotaging as well. I have seen many not take on advice, recommendations and proper management of their disease, that could help them, then these same people scream high and low that the system has let them down. There are some who are just happy to live with the disease, as it is their only way of seeking attention. This is a fact also and we need to talk about it.

This is what has prompted me to do this post so that all concerned get to know what the serious side of mismanaged endometriosis is. Sometimes it is only via the serious harsh side of reality, that all concerned may actually get some help and some serious attention be bought to this disease state.

The common symptoms of endometriosis

We know that many women suffer greatly at the hands of this disease. Women with endometriosis can get the follow common symptoms:

Period pain
Pain with intercourse
IBS like symptoms
Gastrointestinal issues
Chronic constipation
Chronic diarrhoea
Pain on bowel movement
Bleeding from the bowel
Chronic abdominal pain
Severe bloating (endo belly)
Chronic bloating
Aversion to foods (even if they are not the trigger)
Ovulation Pain
Ovary pain
UTI like symptoms (with no infection present)
Migraines and headaches
Chronic pelvic pain
Pelvic and rectal pressure feeling
Musculoskeletal pain
Chronic nerve pain
Fluid retention
Iron deficiency
Mood swings
Anxiety
Depression
Mood disorders
Infertility
Other symptoms

Early intervention and management is crucial

Women’s lives are greatly impacted by this disease and it is important that not only healthcare professionals understand this but also sufferers of the disease. Early intervention and proper ongoing management is the key to helping this disease and everyone needs to be aware of this. Being missed and dismissed, or waiting too long to help, can really have some serious consequences if this disease is left to grow and spread and cause serious damage in the body

The serious consequences of mismanaged/unmanaged endometriosis

While we have talked about the common daily symptoms that many can put up with, we also need to bring attention to just how serious this disease can get. Let’s face it, it can and does spread like cancer and it can spread to every organ in the body. It has been found in the joints of bones, fingers, in the liver, around the lungs, around the diaphragm, around the heart, on the bowels, on the bladder, on the ovaries, on the pelvic, in the fallopian tubes, one the retina in the eyes and it has even found in the brain.

There is no doubt that this disease can be very devastating for anyone who has it, but what happens in the worst cause scenario, if it is left unmanaged.

The following can be serious complications of unmanaged endometriosis:

Haemorrhage from the ovaries
Ruptured ovaries
Ovarian torsion
Obliterated fallopian tubes
Ruptured endometrioma
Endometrioma infection
Pelvic infection
Obliteration of the pelvic cavity
Peritonitis
Sepsis
Compacted bowel
Obstructed bowel
Perforated bowel
Bowel haemorrhage
Torsion of the bowel and intestines.
Ureteral Obstruction (Blocked ureters)
Renal infection
Bladder obstruction
Painful bladder syndrome
Severe adhesions
Significant scar tissue build up
Significant fluid build up in the pelvic cavity.
Multiple organs adhered together
Diaphragmic adhesions
Liver damage
Perihepatic adhesions
Pericardial endometriosis
Cardiovascular events
Stroke
Chronic nerve pain
Pudendal nerve neuralgia.
Chronic musculosketal, or spinal pain
Arthritic like pain and associated symptoms
Chronic Migraine and neurological events.
Malignancies and cancers (rare but more research being done)
Hysterectomy
Recurrent miscarriage
Absolute infertility
Opioid dependency and addiction
Death from opioids medications
Complications from medications and hormonal treatments
Psychotic disorders
Mania
Incapacitation
Suicidal tendencies and thoughts
Suicide
Death (rare from endometriosis directly, but can be from associated factors related to endometriosis and also taking ones own life)
Other

Women with endometriosis need to see an “Endometriosis Expert”

This is why endometriosis needs to be managed properly and managed by a healthcare professional that specialises in the management of endometriosis and associated symptoms. You need to see and Endometriosis Expert.

People cannot treat, or manage the symptoms of endometriosis on their own. This is why it is so important to have the right care and also have a multimodality/team approach to endometriosis. No amount of google searching is going to help people treat endometriosis on their own. You need to find an endometriosis expert.

At the same time more education needs to be given to GP’s and other healthcare professionals about endometriosis. Too many women are being missed and dismissed because of lack of practitioner understanding and education at the front line. Women need to see healthcare professionals that specialise in endometriosis and endometriosis experts for this disease, not just a GP. Women also need access to advanced trained laparoscopic surgeons who specialise in excision surgery, not just a regular gynaecologist who is not advanced trained. I have talked about this often.

Endometriosis is not just about period pain

Lastly, we need to educate ‘all’ that endometriosis is not just about period pain. Endometriosis can present with many different signs and symptoms ranging from gastrointestinal symptoms, extreme bloating, bladder issues, bowel issues, IBS symptoms, migraines, fluid retentions, pain with intercourse, pain on bowel movement and so many other symptoms mentioned before. There is also the long-term impact on fertility for up to 50% of women too.

This is why early intervention and management of teenagers presenting with the disease symptoms is crucial. The longer the disease is left, the more damage it can do and all women deserve to be mothers (if they chose) and deserve a normal happy life. We also need to recognise the psychological impact of the disease and how this can present in someone with the disease as well.

Women are dying because of being mismanaged/unmanaged

Let’s face it, there are women dying because of this disease. Maybe not as direct result, but definitely indirectly. No woman should ever be pushed to the point where she cannot handle her pain and symptoms any longer and be only left with the choice of taking ones own life. This is exactly we need to bring more education to all about this disease. This means both healthcare practitioners and people with the disease itself too.

People need to be managed properly and by professionals. We need to start bring education and attention to this, so that people do not try to manage this disease on their own, and practitioners are held more accountable for dismissing women as well. Because if we don’t the complications of this can be very severe and sometime they can be fatal also.

Endometriosis awareness month is next month and I want to see all women with endometriosis being managed properly and seeking the right help. There are endometriosis experts out there who can help you if you have the disease and the associated symptoms. No woman should be doing this on their own.

Let me help you

If you so need help with managing endometriosis and the associated symptoms of endometriosis, please give my staff a call and find out how I can assist you. I have options for in-person consultations and online consultations. I use a multimodality/team approach and I also work in with some of the best medical healthcare professionals and surgeons in the country. I will always make sure you get the best care, best support and best management possible. I will also hold your hand every step of the way and make sure your every concern is listened to as well.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Master of Women’s Health Medicine

-The Endometriosis Experts