Endometriosis – What it is and how can Acupuncture help?

Endometriosis is a very painful condition suffered by many women that can be undiagnosed and minimized for between 5 to 10 years. The Endometriosis Network Canada website indicates that 8/10 people were told their pain was normal prior to their diagnosis, and up to 4/10 students may not reach their educational goals, while1 in 5 have lost or quit a job because of their symptoms resulting from endometriosis.

Endometriosis occurs when cells normally found in the uterus (the endometrium), grow outside the uterus, commonly in fallopian tubes, ovaries, the outside of the uterus, the pelvic wall, or even in the bowels. Endometrial tissue (in the uterus) is designed to grow and thicken each month; if, after ovulation, an ovum is not fertilized, the endometrial tissue breaks down, and is shed during menstruation. With endometriosis, however, each month, the endometrial tissue growing outside the uterus also breaks down, but there is no outlet for these tissues, so they remain inside the body and can create pain, inflammation, adhesions and scars.

The condition can cause high levels of pain, long and painful, heavy cycles, or even IBS (irritible bowel syndrome). These endometrial growths cycle with the hormonal cycle. Fertility can be impaired (because of scarring or adhesions blocking eggs from moving), and many women suffering from endometriosis have their quality of life seriously compromised by the pain. Physical pain can become chronic lower back or pelvic pain, or episodic, during bowel movements intercourse, or urination, as well as occurring in the cycles that follow the ebb and flow of the sex hormones which surround menses. Emotional pain can manifest as anxiety (knowing the pain will return each month), and depression (knowing that you can’t have a ‘normal’ pain free or intimate life). Western medicine (like TCM) has no known cause or cure for endometriosis, but treat it with surgery, hormones or NSAIDS.

How Can TCM Acupuncture help? ‘Complementary or Alternative’ Support:

You do NOT need a diagnosis of endometriosis to make acupuncture a good option for heavy periods of severe cyclical pain. In our TCM acupuncture training, it is considered problematic if anyone with a menstrual cycle has pain, cramping, cravings, emotional dysregulation or very long, heavy (or short, irregular) periods. These are signals of an imbalance, and your acupuncturist will not dismiss you, but work with you to alleviate pain and problematic symptoms from the outset. We don’t diagnose you with endometriosis, but have several other ways to address the long, heavy, painful cycles that can help reduce pain, and make your cycles less intense.

With regular treatment, research has found that Acupuncture may:

• Help your body release natural pain killing chemicals to combat and reduce pain naturally.

• It may help reduce inflammation in your body (a key issue).

• It may help regulate blood flow.

• May influence and regulate your hormone levels.

As with all visits with your acupuncturist, you will receive customized treatments for you, as each person’s experience of this painful condition has different manifestations.

Some of the ways your acupuncturist can treat you includes:

• Using very fine needles gently inserted into strategic body points.

• If needle averse (or not), acupressure (gentle pressing on points).

• Heat therapy, including far infared heat lamp on your abdomen if indicated.

• Auricular/ear seeds or therapy to prolong your body’s healing between sessions.

• Tuina/gentle massage methods and foot points to support flow.

• Dietary suggestions, according to the energetic properties your particular version of discomfort requires, often bitter and sour foods.

• Gentle movement and breath (qi gong) strategies.

Your acupuncturist can work with you and your medical team, to support your physical pain, character of your cycle and just as importantly, your emotional health. We want you to be able to thrive! To speak more about whether acupuncture might be right for you, contact Sue for a free 15min consultation.

Written By: Susan Paterson

Resources:

Https://endometriosisnetwork.com/external-support-resources/

Https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/acupuncture-for-endometriosis

Payne JA. Acupuncture for Endometriosis: A Case Study. Med Acupunct. 2019 Dec 1;31(6):392-394. doi: 10.1089/acu.2019.1379. Epub 2019 Dec 13. PMID: 31871528; PMCID: PMC6918512.

Pitchford, Paul. Healing with Whole Foods (3d ed.) North Atlantic Books, Berkeley, California, 2002.

Https://www.pacificcollege.edu/news/blog/2015/02/26/tcm-to-treat-endometriosis-symptoms; retrieved 28 November 2020.

Macioca, Giovanni. Diagnosis in Chinese Medicine – A Comprehensive Guide(2nd Ed). Elsevier Limited, 2019.