In endometriosis, cells similar to uterine tissue grow outside the uterus. According to researchers in the Penn State Department of Kinesiology who study the disease, endometriosis is often treated as a purely gynecological condition. In a new study, however, they demonstrated how the condition, which affects 10% of women around the world, alters how the body responds to feedback.
In a new study published in the journal Hypertension, the research team revealed that endometriosis alters how the autonomic nervous system functions - which regulates aspects of the body that are not typically managed through conscious thought, including blood pressure, digestion, breathing and heart rate.
When exposed to exercise or submerging their hand in cold water, women with endometriosis experienced a lower blood pressure response compared to women without the condition. This finding - opposite of what the researchers expected - may have significant implications for both the diagnosis and management of endometriosis, the researchers said.
