Alternative Treatment Options For Endometriosis

Affecting an estimated 4-10% of women worldwide, endometriosis is an all-too-common disease in which cells from the uterus begin to grow outside the uterine cavity. Symptoms vary depending on a number of factors, but severe pelvic pain is reported by many women suffering from this disease. Thankfully, there are several effective treatment options available for endometriosis.

Most women who suffer from endometriosis assume conventional treatment (e.g. prescription painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, surgery, hormone therapy, oral contraceptive) is the best course of action. The problem with such treatments is that they often come with unwanted side effects. Undergoing hormone therapy, for instance, may lead to infertility, while painkillers only mask the problem without treating its underlying cause.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers a more direct approach to treating endometriosis. TCM may include the use of herbal medicine, cupping, acupuncture, aromatherapy, and lifestyle changes, all of which are designed to restore the body and mind back to its healthy state.

From a TCM perspective, women with endometriosis often experience blood stagnation due to weak kidney function. From this perspective, our kidneys are responsible for reproduction, blood production, hair health/growth, and energy levels, and play a very important role in regulating women’s cycles. As for blood stagnation, it manifest as the pain that women with endometriosis experience and can be the result of low kidney function. Treatment then will be on boosting the kidneys, invigorating blood and resolving stagnation.