The ARD Factfile

A couple of weeks ago I posted a blog on the subject of adhesions (ARD - Adhesion Related Disorder) because I felt that it was something everyone should be aware of, especially women given the possibility of health complications. Ever since I have been reading up on ARD and have put together a few facts that may be of interest.

It is important to remember that these facts are based on extensive research that has been performed by medical professionals over a number of years. None of the figures have been pulled out of thin air, regardless of what you may otherwise hear (please see the note at the end of the post). Some of them are startling and some extremely frightening, but the more we know the more we can combat ARD and prevent the suffering of others:

* Adhesions are actually described as abnormal bands of scar tissue. They work to adhere your internal organs to each other, whichis why they cause excrutiating pain.
* Adhesions are common in those women who suffer with endometriosis, STDs and/or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
* 93% of patients that have had pelvic surgery or abdominal surgery will be afflicted with adhesions.
* 74% of all bowel obstructions that occur are the result of ARD.
* Between 15% and 20% of all cases of female infertility arise from adhesions caused by pelvic/abdominal surgery.
* Adhesions can cause pelvic pain, pain during sexual intercourse, infertility, intestinal obstruction and bowel obstruction in women.
* Over 300,000 people were admitted to hospital for surgery to remove adhesions in the US in 1998 alone. There are no figures regarding how many operations were successful but unfortunately many are not. This cost over $2.2billion.

All of the figures above were taken from Women's Health Solutions, which features all of the available research sources so you can read a little more for yourself if you want to.

There is also an article called Women's Health: Vital Facts About Adhesions that you can read. It is a very recent article so it has all of the latest info.

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Before I draw this post to a close I would just like to say something about my blog. This is my personal health blog. I enjoy writing about a variety of topics connected to general health, healthy eating and also illnesses like this one. As I said in my previous post, everyone has heard of breast cancer but it is illnesses like this that go unnoticed. Sufferers should not have to put up with a wall of silence. My mother had breast cancer twice and I am an ardent supporter of cancer charities as a result, but I dedicate my time and energy to illnesses like this as well because women deserve to know what is out there. There are so many things we don't know because nothing is ever said and it is just not good enough.

I encourage everyone to post a comment, whether they agree/disagree with my posts, want to add their 2 cents or just simply like what I write. I love a good debate because that is the basis of how we learn and progress in society.

However, that being said, I WILL NOT accept comments that deliberately include defamatory statements. Also, I WILL NOT be bullied out of publishing my opinion. This obviously doesn't apply to 99.9% of you reading this (so apologies for the rant), but the one person it does apply to knows who she is. I had to delete a comment that was made on the last ARD post I wrote because it was aimed solely at destroying the career of an esteemed doctor and branding a friend of mine a liar. I don't want to have to do that again.

ARD can be a horrendous illness, which is made worse by people hiding the truth. I am not one of those people. Please educate yourself by looking at official research and reading about the personal experiences of sufferers. Please then make up your own mind. After all, everyone has a right to that so make the most of it!