Acute Pain - severe pain over a short time
Adhesions - bands of scar tissue that bind together normally separate surfaces and organs
Autoimmune disease - a disease caused by autoantibodies or lymphocytes that can attack one's own tissues or cells
Biopsy - removal and examination of a sample of tissue to make a diagnosis
Bladder - the membrane sac that collects and stores urine until it is eliminated
Bowel obstruction - partial or complete blockage of the intestines
Candidiasis - a condition of both allergy to and overgrowth of the yeast Candida albicans in the body causing illness and allergic manifestations
Chronic Pain - pain that persists for a long time, showing little change
Cul-de-sac - the space between the uterus and rectum that forms a pouch
Cyst - a closed cavity or sac, usually containing liqiud or semi-solid material
Dysmenorrhea - painful periods
Endocrine system - the network of glands and other structures that produce hormones. Glands of the endocrine system include the thyroid, pituitary, pancreas, ovaries, and testicles
Endometrioma - a mass containing endometrial tissue, often described as a chocolate cyst because of its color
Endometrium, endometrial - tissue that lines the inside of the uterus and builds up and sheds each month during the menstrual cycle
Fibromyalgia - a painful condition of the fibrous connective tissue that sometimes affects women with endo
Holistic - an approach to healthcare that considers the whole person, including physical, social,
emotional, economic and spiritual needs, rather than just the symptoms and the disease
Laparoscopy - (or lap) a surgical procedure, generally done on an outpatient basis under general
anesthesia. A small incision is made near the navel and a lighted, thin tube is inserted, through which the surgeon can view organs in the abdomen. Additional small incisions may be made to insert other instruments in the abdomen for removing endo growths and adhesions or for performing other surgical procedures This is sometimes done just for diagnostic purposes or for operational purposes. Most endo specialists now do operative laparoscopies even at the time of the initial
diagnosis
Laparotomy - major surgery done through an incision in the abdominal wall
Laser - an extremely concentrated beam of light that can be directed precisely to destroy diseased
tissue or to extract it
Lesion - a word used in endometriosis to describe the patches, colonies, or growths of endometrial
tissue outside the uterus. In general, lesion refers to any abnormal patch of tissue
Lupron - A prescription drug taken via shots that will cease production of hormones and put the
body into a temporary or fake menopause. This is almost always prescribed by doctors immediately following a laparoscopy for endo. There are potentially severe side effects which should be
thoroughly checked out prior to taking this drug
Nodule - a small, firm lump of tissue
Premature menopause - before natural menopause would occur
