Endometriosis: A Painful Little Secret
Women’s Health is one of my specialties, and since March is Women’s History Month, I’m taking some time to explore the importance of reproductive support in identifying females. Something I’m asked about frequently, is whether Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can help alleviate a common and extremely undiagnosed/misdiagnosed/overlooked condition: Endometriosis.
Endometriosis can be a debilitating condition, and is suffered by an untold number of women around the world. I use the term “untold” due to the previously stated reasons (eek), and in fact, countless women go through their entire reproductive lives at its mercy without proper medical recognition or intervention. In fact, recent estimates by the World Health Organization give the staggering figure that 1 in 10 women suffers from endometriosis during their reproductive years, and approximately 200,000 American women are effected per year.
The condition is such that tissue that normally grows within the uterine lining is found elsewhere within the body; most commonly in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and pelvic lining. This displaced endometrial tissue continues to act as it would within the uterus (think thickening and shedding with the stages of your menstrual cycle). Since this tissue can’t be shed the way it would normally be, it becomes trapped. The surrounding tissues become irritated, and eventually lead to the formation of scars and adhesions. These adhesions are thick, and less flexible than regular endometrial structure, which can cause surrounding pelvic tissues and organs to stick together.
All of this displaced growth can cause a myriad of dysfunctional menstrual symptoms including extremely painful periods, pain with bowel movements or urination, painful sexual intercourse, excessive bleeding, infertility, and other difficulties.
On top of all that, endometriosis is notoriously difficult to treat, and is often misdiagnosed; mistaken for conditions that cause similar hardships such as Pelvic Inflammatory Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The mimicking symptoms aren’t the only roadblock in proper diagnosis. The only way to definitively diagnose the condition is through laparoscopic surgery, which can be costly and invasive.
Traditional Chinese Medicine tends to view the overall condition of endometriosis as a Qi and Blood Stasis within the body. Qi and Blood are closely linked, and both need to flow smoothly in order to prevent pain and Internal dysfunction. The Liver organ is closely linked to both, as well as the uterus, and is responsible for this (ideally) effortless movement. When things go awry, it creates the perfect environment for conditions like endometriosis to arise.
However, it’s important to note that Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine considers each individual’s pattern of disharmony before making blanket statements about what’s causing a condition. The truth is that we’re all actively changing organisms that are constantly in flux.
That being said, many times Qi and Blood Stasis are major culprits for women who develop endometriosis. This can be coupled with other patterns of disharmony (we all have ‘em!) that need to be addressed. At my clinics in NoHo and Williamsburg, I frequently treat women’s health conditions (such as endometriosis) with Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine; working to resolve any blockages and imbalances causing pain or structural changes. By utilizing Acupuncture, Herbal supplementation, nutritional guidance, and lifestyle advice, a synergistic approach is created in order to treat the root of the issue, and offer supplemental care in the treatment of endometriosis.
If you currently struggle with endometriosis, or any other female health condition, feel free to reach out to see how we can work together. It's time to stop suffering in silence. I hear you, and I’m here to help.
