Endometriosis has been studied by scientists over the years, all of them seeking an absolute answer to the question every sufferer of the disease asks her doctor: Why me? One theory, proposed by a Dr. Sampson in the 1920s, is still widely accepted by the medical community; it is discussed fully in the upcoming chapter. Sampson’s theory provides an explanation as to how the endometrial implants find their way into the abdominal cavity, but not why the implants stick to organs and grow.
This is the crucial question: Why do implants “take” with some women and not with others? Such is the continuing mystery of endometriosis.
Four basic causes:
• Hereditary factors. You will be more likely to get endometriosis if close female relatives have had the condition, too.
• Immune system stress. Endometrial implants may be more likely to proliferate when this infection-fighting system is weakened.
• Hormone levels. Higher estrogen and prostaglandin levels are associated with more cases of endometriosis and pain from the disease.
• The embryonic theory. One supposition is that you are born with the condition in a dormant state. If the internal environment is right, endometriosis will “take” and grow.
No one knows precisely what combination of factors in what degree will create endometriosis, but I strongly believe that heredity and immune system stress are two major influences. One we cannot change, but the other—immune system stress—can be altered.
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