Treatment
There are a variety of different treatments are available from your doctor or gynaecologist to help manage the symptoms. The type of treatment you have will depend on your age, how severe your symptoms are and whether you want to have children. It’s important to talk to your doctor and agree a treatment plan.
From a complementary health perspective there are many approaches to help improve symptoms and alleviate discomfort.
Complementary health practitioners think that endometriosis can be triggered by a combination of factors including hormone imbalances, stress and nutritional deficiencies, so a holistic approach, whereby these areas plus improving your elimination, and your general health status is the quickest way to eliminating the symptoms of endometriosis.
We advise suffers of endometriosis to visit a qualified complementary health practitioner for a detailed individual approach.
There are many herbs and nutrients that can support you weather you choose to follow an allopathic or complementary approach to treating endometriosis.
A good quality multivitamin and mineral, particularly a female multi vitamin and mineral, would form the foundation of your supplement programme to make sure that you are getting a ‘little bit of everything’. You then add in those nutrients in slightly higher amounts, which are known to be helpful for endometriosis.
The B vitamins are particularly important for endometriosis sufferers for a number of reasons. First and foremost, they are needed by the liver to convert excess oestrogen into weaker and less dangerous forms. One of the B vitamins, Vitamin B6, has been shown to significantly reduce the intensity and duration of period pains, which will help many sufferers.
Vitamin E is an important vitamin in endometriosis because it has been shown to relieve menstrual cramps in 70 percent of women within two menstrual cycles.
Vitamin C is one of the most important vitamins for immune function, and it is crucial that your immune system is operating at optimum level so that your body can recognise and destroy endometrial patches as they occur. Bioflavonoids are helpful with pain occurring around the time of your period because they help to relax smooth muscle and to prevent inflammation.
Magnesium acts as a muscle relaxant and has been shown to have a beneficial effect on painful periods and lower back pain so it is worth taking as a supplement.
Many sufferers of endometriosis become Iron deficient, as a result of heavy periods, Iron supplements such as gentle Iron capsules, Spartone Iron water, and Floradix liquid Iron tonic can help to replenish Iron reserves without causing constipation.
Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) “Omega 6 essential fatty acid” found in Evening Primrose Oil, nuts, seeds, and Eicosanoil, provides linolenic acid, from which your body produces beneficial prostaglandins, which help to reduce period pains. They also have an anti-inflammatory response, which is particularly beneficial to endometriosis sufferers.
The B vitamins, in particular B6 combined with the minerals magnesium and zinc are also crucial for the conversion of linoleic acid to GLA (gamma linolenic acid), which is necessary to produce beneficial prostaglandins (PGE1 and PGE3, hormone-like substances that have a relaxing effect on the womb muscles and anti-inflammatory properties).
The B vitamins are required to convert this essential fat into a form that can be used by the body to produce a ‘good’ type of prostaglandins. Without this conversion, our bodies would produce more of the ‘bad’ prostaglandins PGE2. In particular, PGE2 is a highly inflammatory substance that can cause swelling and pain and also thicken the blood, which can then cause congestion and stagnation in the pelvic area, increasing period pains and inflammation from the endometrial patches.
Dietary factors can have an enormous effect on Endometriosis symptoms. In 1998 a study asked women with endometriosis to eliminate caffeine, to control their blood sugar by eating little and often and eliminating foods containing sugar, and supplementing with essential fatty acids. Doctors found that by making these simple changes, women taking part in the study experienced a significant decrease in the symptoms of endometriosis.
Supporting the digestive tract functioning is important for endometriosis suffers. Using probiotic supplements are recommended, such as acidophilus, which helps encourage proper digestion, easing symptoms of digestive discomfort and bloating.
Herbal remedies have excellent hormonal balancing and pain relieving properties however, you should avoid using herbal remedies along side conventional hormonal treatments such as:
The Pill, Fertility drugs, HRT or any other hormonal treatment or other medication, without first seeking advise from your doctor, gynaecologist, or a fully qualified herbalist.
Herbs can have a tremendous impact on easing period pains, herbs such as Corydalis, and Damask Rose.
Corydalis is particularly powerful at treating the pain that arises as a consequence of menstrual/gynecological illness. Corydalis is a useful anti-inflammatory herb and possesses membrane-protecting effects, which are useful for endometriosis suffers.
It is important to remember that Corydalis has useful sedative and tranquillizing effects, and can be used to aid sleep, which again is useful to those in pain, however not appropriate if you operate heavy machinerary or when driving.
Damask Rose is a wonderful herb with powerful uplifting qualities. The most common use of Rose is in the treatment of heavy periods (menorrhagia), particularly when due to fibroids or endometriosis. Whilst helping to curb the heavy bleeding and actually used to actually treat the cysts of endometriosis themselves, not just their consequences.
There is some evidence to suggest that taking Rose over the long term (we’re talking 6 months plus here) does seem to have a positive influence on endometriosis.
At the beginning you may still require painkillers and herbs to deal with the pain; however, gradually your dependence upon the painkillers will be reduced to the point where they are unnecessary.
Eventually it will also be possible to stop taking herbs.
Agnus Castus (Vitex/Chastetree berry) is one of the most important herbs for female hormone problems, and it works to stimulate and normalise the function of the pituitary gland. This gland controls and balances the hormones in our body. Agnus Castus works by restoring balance, whether your hormone levels are too high or too low.
Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) is an excellent herb for the liver, which needs to work efficiently to balance the hormones, helping the body to breakdown and eliminate xenoestrogens.
Gogi Berries, a traditional Chinese berry, is particularly beneficial to help restore lost energy, and improve iron status having a dessert spoon of gogi berries on your porridge and taking gogi tincture can help.
Supper foods such as Sprilulina, Cholrella, and Green Foods Formulas such as Pukka’s Clean Greens can really help to support your constitutional health and well being, providing excellent sources of silica, magnesium, and plant enzymes.
We have discussed lots of strategies and supplements, my personal recommendations are:
Look at your diet, if needed book and see a nutritionist, books such as:
The Nutritional Health Handbook by Marylin Glenville PhD
Holistic Health Secrets For Women by Dr Mark Atkinson
Balancing Hormones Naturally by Kate Neil & Patrick Holford – Provides an excellent insight to nutritional approaches to female health problems.
The Optimum Nutrition Cook Book, by Patrick Holford -Gives lots of practical advice and recopies to kick off your health regime.
Suggested Nutritional Program
A Good Female Multivitamin and Mineral
Ester C 500 mg twice per day
Vitamin E 400 iu once day
Eicosanoil 1 teaspoon three times per day
Milk Thistle Tincture 20 drops in water after each meal (3 x per day)
Acidophilus capsules 1 capsule after breakfast an evening meal
Agnus Castus Tincture 20 drops in water first thing in the morning
Damask Rose 20 drops in water up to three times per day.
This Program, dietary advice, the herbs and nutrients are available as an Endometriosis Therapy Pack.
Warnings
Do not take if pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding.
If you are under medical supervision, please consult a doctor before use.
Avoid using herbal remedies along side conventional hormonal treatments such as: The Pill, Fertility drugs, HRT or any other hormonal treatment or other medication, without first seeking advise from your doctor, gynaecologist, or a fully qualified herbalist.
Not suitable for individuals with kidney disease, or suffering from kidney stones, colitis, gastritis or ulcerative conditions of the stomach or colon.
Please note: This site is not intended to be a substitute for taking proper medical advice and should not be relied upon in this way. Always consult a qualified doctor or health practitioner, especially if you are pregnant, taking the pill or on any medication. Your situation will need to be looked at individually and you should not attempt to self-treat. The author and publisher cannot accept responsibility for illness arising out of the failure to seek medical advice from a doctor.
Buy the Health Diva’s Endometriosis Therapy Kit
The Diva’s Therapy packs are a great way off following a specific health program for your needs over the next three months.
The pack contains three months’ supply of the Diva’s recommended supplements to provide a regime of antioxidants, hormonal, digestive and liver support to help rejuvenate your system.
The Therapy pack also contains dietary advice, recipes, and lots of practical tips on, juicing for health, eating organic, sprouting, and chemical-free living.
The Diva’s Therapy Packs are a great way off following a specific health program for your needs over the next three months. The pack contains three months supply of the Diva’s recommended supplements to provide a regime of antioxidants, hormonal, digestive and liver support to help rejuvenate your system. The Therapy pack also contains dietary [...]
