Natural Remedies for Endometriosis

The endometrium is a special type of tissue that lines the inner walls of the uterus of a woman. The endometrial implants and sometimes migrate to other areas within the pelvis. In women with endometriosis may have endometrial tissue in the fallopian tubes, ovaries or elsewhere in the pelvis. In these places there should be no endometrial tissue. During the normal menstrual cycle of a woman inside the uterus the endometrium thickens and prepares for the possibility of conception and pregnancy. This occurs under the influence of hormones in the blood stream. If no conception occurs, the hormone levels decrease and the endometrium becomes detached from the wall of the uterus and is expelled through the vagina - what we know as menstruation or our monthly period. In women with endometriosis the same process occurs but the extra endometrial tissue in various sites around the pelvis reacts the same way to hormonal changes in the bloodstream. This means that the endometrium placed in the wrong place, it takes off and out of the body but is trapped. This can lead to inflammation and pain in the surrounding tissue and in the long term, it can form cysts and scar tissue.

How will I know if I have endometriosis? Endometriosis can cause severe pain, usually in the pelvic area, and women with this condition usually feel most pain and discomfort during their menstrual period. This pain can be debilitating and is generally more severe than what other women experience as "period pain." Other symptoms of this condition are menorrhagia or excessive menstrual bleeding, bleeding between periods and pain during sexual intercourse or bowel movements. Endometriosis may also decrease fertility and is an important factor in women who are having difficulty getting pregnant. In some women, endometriosis may cause few or even no symptoms. Endometriosis is a common disorder and it is estimated that nearly 1 in 10 women in their reproductive years suffer from this condition. It is more common in women who have had children. Other conditions may present the same symptoms as endometriosis, it is important to consult your health care provider about any symptoms menstrual upset or anything that makes you suspect this condition. Endometriosis is usually easily diagnosed by an internal pelvic examination. What causes endometriosis? Modern medicine is not quite sure what causes endometriosis.

However, although the cause of endometriosis has not been scientifically proven, there are a number of options being investigated by conventional medicine. One theory is that a small amount of menstrual blood does not flow from the vagina, but instead travels backwards through the fallopian tubes into the pelvic cavity. Endometrial cells contained in this blood then act as "seeds" to produce areas of endometrial tissue outside the uterus. It is not understood why this process leads to endometriosis in some women but not others. Studies suggest it has something to do with immune function. Another theory is that endometrial cells are transferred into the bloodstream. This theory is based on the fact that endometrial cells can be isolated from the blood vessels and would explain cases of endometriosis found in obscure places such as the lung. Traditional medicine and eastern China have a different understanding and approach to the cause of endometriosis - but one that fits the current scientific knowledge and complements many of the gaps in the theories of scientists.

In traditional Chinese medicine, endometriosis is classified as a disorder of the liver and is associated with liver stagnation. In every woman with endometriosis the underlying cause for this stagnation of the blood of the liver may be slightly different but the result is similar. Recent studies have supported this theory and implicated chronic exposure to dioxins (an environmental pollutant) to liver health and endometriosis independently. Unfortunately for women living a modern lifestyle, avoiding these dioxins would be very difficult as they are in a large proportion in fish, meat and dairy products produced for human consumption. A compromised liver would also do its part in weakening the immune system - a factor implicated in endometriosis.

Eating foods that weaken the liver is understood, it is also a problem of the modern way of life and endometriosis. Refined foods, especially those containing wheat flour and sugar, fried foods, caffeine and sugary drinks, all compromise liver functioning and should be avoided by women in general, but particularly those with a predisposition to or prior experience of endometriosis. Stress is also a big enemy of liver health and liver in Chinese medicine is considered the most emotionally sensitive organ of the body. Apart from stress and environmental pollution, conventional drugs and medications have too much of the blame for the weakness and stagnation of the liver. The pain-relieving drugs are a huge culprit in endometriosis. Women with this condition often rely on drugs to relieve pain and anti-inflammatory drugs Non-Steroidal (NSAIDs) for pain to help them cope with pain around menstruation. NSAID is one of the most damaging classes of drugs, especially the liver and kidneys, and these medicines can actually contribute to worsening of endometriosis long term, even causing irreversible damage.

What complications can cause endometriosis? If untreated or if poorly managed endometriosis, it generally worsens over time. The most serious complication and often harrowing of endometriosis is infertility. Endometriosis is sometimes diagnosed for the first time when a woman seeks fertility treatment. The scar tissue caused by endometriosis may be the culprit in preventing conception - sometimes partially or completely blocks the path of the egg to be fertilized. There are probably other less understood by which endometriosis may affect fertility and although many women with endometriosis can still get pregnant, they generally require some type of medical intervention. What is the treatment for endometriosis? Conventional treatment for endometriosis is based on prescription medications or surgery depending on the severity of the condition and whether the woman wishes to become pregnant. For women with this condition who want to control the pain of endometriosis and menstruation, the most common treatment is with Non-Steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) that vary in effectiveness depending on the severity of the condition, the strength of the prescribed drug, as well as individual factors.

The use of drugs or NSAIDs for pain in endometriosis is only effective in treating symptoms such as menstrual cramps, pelvic pain and painful intercourse and will have no long-term positive effect on the condition itself. Hormonal medications including the contraceptive pill used to treat endometriosis progression and are helpful in reducing symptoms and shrink endometrial deposits. Unfortunately though, hormonal drugs are also only a temporary solution. While using these drugs the endometriosis will be suppressed and symptoms improved, but in the long term, the condition will return. Within 1-2 years of stopping hormone therapy, endometriosis probably return again with all the associated symptoms. Also, large deposits of endometrial tissue in the pelvis (ie larger than 3 cm in diameter) usually respond to hormonal treatment in all. NSAIDs and hormonal treatments can also cause a variety of adverse side effects including irregular bleeding, thrombosis, symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, reduced bone density and vaginal dryness. As mentioned above, the use of drugs for pain and NSAID also compromise liver functioning - thereby contributing to the continuation or even a worsening of endometriosis.

Surgery can be regarded as conservative or radical. In conservative surgery endometrial deposits and cysts of the scar is removed as much as possible with the maximum amount of healthy tissue left intact. Radical surgery is usually reserved for women with severe cases who have completed their families and usually takes the form of a complete hysterectomy. How can natural remedies help or alternative medicine? Treating the underlying cause of the endometriosis - namely a poorly functioning liver - Traditional Chinese medicine has the potential to cure and prevent the condition rather than suppress the symptoms as conventional medicine. The herbal ingredients used in the traditional Oriental treatment of endometriosis work fundamentally changing the functioning of the liver and female reproductive system. To do this, the treatment should be continued regularly for a regimen of several months or even longer if necessary in particularly stubborn cases. The natural remedies generally take longer than allopathic medicines to demonstrate efficacy but patience and persistence required is usually rewarded with more reliable results, superior and often permanent.

These 100% natural remedy containing herbal and homeopathic ingredients include: Vitex agnus-castus is also known as Chasteberry and is a useful herb that balances hormones. Recent studies have shown that compounds in Vitex are effective in adjusting female hormones are out of balance during menstruation. Vitex has also been shown to be effective in the treatment of endometriosis, PMS and dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation). Chasteberry helps the liver to process and excrete estrogen which is important for women with endometriosis as excess estrogen in the system has been linked to the development of this condition.

Senensis Angelica (Dong Quai) acctua as a balancer of hormones and are an essential herb for treating female reproductive disorders. A very highly regarded medicinal herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Don Quai is used as a tonic herb for the reproductive system and address the overall health of your reproductive organs. It is especially useful in the treatment of irregular periods, polycystic ovarian syndrome of estrogen dominance and endometriosis. Don Quai is also well known as a tonic regulator of liver and blood pressure.

Silybum marianus (Milk Thistle) This herb has been used since ancient times for treating a wide variety of ailments, but is particularly effective in the treatment of liver problems. Studies suggest that this herb protects the liver against damage by viruses, pollution, stress and toxins. Milk thistle is a potent antioxidant and laboratory studies indicate it may be useful anti-cancer properties.

Dioscorea villosa (Chinese Yam) is an excellent natural liver tonic and nervous system. Also known to have anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic and reduce menstrual pain and inflammation associated with endometriosis that leads to scar tissue.

Viburnum opulus (30C) is a homeopathic remedy known for its effectiveness in dealing with painful menstruation and especially back pain.