Pathophysiological aspects of pain syndrome in endometriosis: A review

Abstract

Endometriosis is a chronic and debilitating disease with chronic pelvic pain and infertility. This pathology affects 1 in 10 women worldwide. Chronic pelvic pain is the main complaint of patients with endometriosis, which causes the most discomfort and has a strong impact on the quality of life. Today, the main generally accepted criterion for the severity of pain is the volume of the affected tissue, but most often it does not correspond to the real pain sensations of the patients. In this review of the literature, we have identified and compared the main pathophysiological mechanisms of the development of pain in endometriosis, which help to answer some urgent questions. We have identified 6 mechanisms that sequentially activate and reinforce each other's action, leading to the formation of persistent pain syndrome. There are still gaps in the pathophysiological mechanisms described by us, which requires additional clinical studies. A better understanding of the pathophysiology of pain in endometriosis will help improve diagnostic capabilities, as well as treatment that will be directed at each link in the pathological process.