Endometrial hyperplasia means your uterine lining cells are growing too much, or over growing. Although this health condition is not cancer, if left untreated it can lead to endometrial cancer.
What causes endometrial hyperplasia is an imbalance of two female hormones, estrogen and progesterone. An excess of estrogen and not enough progesterone results in what’s referred to as an “unopposed estrogen” condition.
Estrogen stimulates your endometrium to grow and progesterone causes it to shed. So, in the absence of progesterone your endometrial tissue builds up, aka hyperplasia.
The most common symptom of endometrial hyperplasia is abnormal and heavy vaginal bleeding. Other symptoms that may accompany your heavy bleeding are:
- cramps
- pelvic pain
- irregular bleeding
- vaginal discharge
- bleeding between periods
- bleeding after menopause
Circumstances or other health conditions for which abnormal vaginal bleeding endometrial hyperplasia is more likely to occur are:
- diabetes
- amenorrhea
- overweight, obese
- polycystic ovary syndrome
- hormonal changes of menopause
- taking tamoxifen to treat breast cancer
- taking estrogen only hormone replacement therapy
Why weight matters is because fat cells are the main source of estrogen in menopausal women. As such, the risk for endometrial hyperplasia increases with the extent of your obesity.
Because endometrial hyperplasia significantly increases your risk for uterine cancer any abnormal heavy menstrual bleeding must be assessed, especially if you are over 40.
Progestogen hormone therapy is highly effective in treating endometrial hyperplasia. This treatment causes your endometrial lining to shed and prevents future hyperplasia. If your heavy vaginal bleeding health issue persists, a hysterectomy is alternate form of treatment.
And if you are overweight, losing weight helps prevent endometrial hyperplasia. Also, moderate exercise can drop your estrogen levels as well. Not to mention, exercise protects postmenopausal woman from heart disease and osteoporosis.