Endometriosis is a disease that affects almost 200 million women worldwide. Although it is still not well known why they are usually women who live in large cities in developed countries and with a high sense of responsibility and order.

Endometriosis occurs when the cells that line the inside of the uterine cavity (endometrial cells), instead of being eliminated to the outside with each menstruation, migrate in the opposite direction towards the pelvic and abdominal cavities. Usually, they are grouped in the form of implants in the peritoneum (a thin layer that lines the pelvis and abdomen inside), or they form cysts in the ovaries. In rarer cases, these implants usually infiltrate the intestine, the ureters, the bladder, or even the lung.

Women with endometriosis usually have a set of symptoms that can be more or less intense. Usually, women have intense pain during menstruation that, in some cases, forces them to be at home for a few days. In addition, they may suffer from pain during sexual intercourse, pain when urinating or defecating, or, directly, chronic pelvic pain.

In certain cases, endometriosis can be associated with difficulty in trying to get pregnant, and, as has been shown, it could also have an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Endometriosis is a benign and self-limited disease. As is well known today, it is directly linked to hormonal stimulation (mainly estrogens). As the female sex hormones disappear after menopause, both the disease and its symptoms also subside in the absence of circulating hormones in the blood.

Although it is not yet known exactly what the true cause of the disease is, every day more progress is being made to know exactly why it develops.

In recent years, more and more progress has been made in the role that immunity could have in the genesis of endometriosis. Thus, a study just published in an international scientific journal observed high concentrations of cells related to our immunity (macrophages and interleukins) in the peritoneal cavity in women with endometriosis and a high level of pelvic and abdominal pain.

In this way, and as with cancer, there is a possibility that women with pain associated with endometriosis can be treated with immunological therapies. Consequently, the symptoms and quality of life of patients could be significantly improved.

Cancer, another disease closely linked to the response capacity of the immune system, is one of the diseases where more progress is being made with treatment aimed at strengthening the immune response of each person.

In short, one of the most important keys to preventing both endometriosis and other diseases, also important, is to try to keep the immune system as strong as possible, avoiding situations of chronic stress that alter it. Therefore, it would be necessary to repeatedly avoid saturated fats, tobacco consumption, exposure to the sun at inappropriate hours, or any external situation that generates discomfort persistently over time.

In this way, in the future, perhaps more than treating people with diseases, it will be possible to avoid or reduce the incidence of ailments that not only shorten life expectancy; but also significantly alter the quality of life.