Endometriosis is a chronic disease in which endometrial-like tissue occurs outside the uterine cavity. There it “grows” and causes chronic inflammation with various ailments, such as pain in the abdomen. One in ten women in the Netherlands is affected. That is between 360,000 and 540,000 women.
A common disease, but not a common disease. According to GroenLinks, this should change, so that the disease becomes more widely known.
Medical historian Leo van Bergen suspects GroenLinks is calling him primarily to make a point. “The concept of public sickness is a term used by politicians to emphasize the importance of a disease. They emphasize the need to get more attention and budget.”
Broad understanding
And he continues: “In the past the term was used to indicate that it was a disease among people, that is, the poorest, less fortunate citizens.” But today the term is used differently. “Now it’s a broad concept.”
Tuberculosis is a common disease of the past. “But not all diseases that many people suffer from are called that. We don’t even call corona a public disease. One might think of leprosy, cholera and malaria, but I don’t know if they are really officially called public disease.”
Endometriosis as a popular target
According to Van Bergen, calling endometriosis a common disease could pay off. “It can lead to greater exposure and financial resources.” It could therefore be recognized more quickly.
Therapy
There are about three methods of treating endometriosis:
- Symptom relief, for example with ibuprofen
- Hormone therapy, with which you can try to inhibit the disease or make it less active
- Surgical, with which the spots can be cut or burned
The gynecologist Bertho Nieboer also suspects it. “Diabetes and dementia are seen as common diseases. As a result, not only you, but also your environment is more attentive to symptoms. If you drink liters of water a day and are very thirsty, or if you forget a lot, then a bell it will sound faster.
More fame
The difficult thing about endometriosis is that there are many different ailments associated with it. “But it would still be helpful if there was more awareness. It starts already in school, where young women have to learn what is ‘normal’ in menstrual disorders. More research should be done on that too. And we may be able to realize that still once with the knowledge that it will come when endometriosis becomes a common disease. “
