10 Holistic Treatment Strategies for Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a gynecological disease characterized by the presence and growth of tissue similar to that of the uterine lining (the endometrium) on areas outside of the uterus. Endometrial tissue can be found on the ovaries, bowel, rectum, bladder, uterine ligaments and other areas of the pelvic cavity. This endometrial tissue responds to hormones the same way the uterine lining does and will grow and bleed causing widespread pain and inflammation. Endometriosis symptoms can include painful periods and/or painful ovulation, spotting before your period, chronic pelvic pain, painful bowel movements, painful penetrative sex, fatigue, digestive issues and infertility. The severity of the symptoms does not reflect the severity of the endometriosis itself. Some people have no symptoms and only learn they have endometriosis when they have a difficult time falling pregnant.

In Chinese Medicine endometriosis is considered blood stagnation. Blood stagnation can have several different root causes, the most common of which are Kidney Yang deficiency and/or Qi stagnation. My role is to develop a treatment plan that addresses the root cause of the Blood stagnation, the Blood stagnation itself, as well as your treatment goals (e.g., pain relief, optimize fertility).

While Chinese Medicine cannot cure endometriosis it can help limit the proliferation of endometriosis and have a huge impact on improving your quality of life and your fertility.

Endometriosis is one of the most common things I treat so I have a list of strategies for managing the symptoms and supporting fertility. Some of these strategies require you to see a qualified practitioner and some you can do on your own.

My Top 10 strategies for managing endometriosis

1. Get Regular Acupuncture. Acupuncture is a powerful tool for managing endometriosis. It has been shown to reduce inflammation, improve healthy blood flow, modulate the immune system, reduce pain, and support healthy estrogen levels. In some people endometriosis impacts egg quality. By lowering inflammation, improving blood flow to the ovaries and supporting better hormone balance we can improve egg quality. Other general side effects of acupuncture include better sleep, better mood and improved stress resilience!

2.  Utilize Chinese Herbal Medicine. Chinese herbal formulas have been used safely for centuries. Specific formulas can be used for reducing PMS, ameliorating painful and/or heavy periods, preventing the proliferation of endometrial tissue and supporting optimal fertility. Clinical trials have demonstrated that Chinese herbal medicine is effective for reducing or eliminating the symptoms of endometriosis without the side effects that come with the commonly used pharmaceuticals.

3. Use Castor Oil Packs. The main active enzyme in Castor oil is ricinoleic acid which has been shown to reduce inflammation, increase lymphocyte production and has a balancing effect on the autonomic nervous system, increasing liver activity and improving digestion. Used topically, Castor oil moves blood and supports good uterine health. Because of this it can reduce painful, clotty periods. I have a whole blog post on how to do Castor oil packs at home.

4. Take Supplements. There are a variety helpful supplements that can support your body in managing endometriosis. Antioxidants help counteract the high levels of oxidative stress and inflammation in the body that comes along with endometriosis. One powerful antioxidant is NAC (N-Acetylcysteine). NAC is helpful for reducing inflammation, endometriosis lesions and pain as well as supporting fertility. Vitamin D supplementation over 2 months was found to reduce period pain and CRP levels (a marker for inflammation) in people with endometriosis. Curcumin and omega 3 fatty acids have been found to reduce period pain and slow the growth of endometriosis. There are additional supplements that may be helpful and all supplements should be prescribed by someone with training in this area like an acupuncturist, naturopathic doctor or functional medicine doctor.

5. Regulate your nervous system. Did you know that chronic stress can disrupt hormone balance, impact your immune system, and promote inflammation? It actually changes the size and structure of your brain. Some stress in life is inevitable but how you respond to it is not. Some things you can do to increase your stress resiliency and mitigate the impact of stress include: getting at least 7 hours of sleep at night, eating enough to keep your blood sugar stable, doing a daily meditation (insight timer as some great guided meditations to get you started if this is new for you), and incorporating mindfulness practices to your day. Doing these things on a daily basis will help get your body back into parasympathetic mode (the rest and digest aspect of our nervous system) and this in turn can help reduce symptoms of endometriosis. 

6. Get Regular Exercise. Research has indicated that regular physical exercise seems to have protective effects against diseases that involve inflammatory processes. If you have read this far you know that endometriosis is an inflammatory condition. Regular exercise also improves mood and perceived quality of life. Great right? For sure but for people with endometriosis some forms of exercise may make things feel worse. Some of my patients report that high impact exercise like running makes pelvic pain worse but low impact exercise like yoga, weight training and swimming make them feel better. You also want to be mindful of the intensity and duration of exercise. If you feel depleted after a workout dial the intensity or duration back. The goal is to feel more energized after exercise.

7. Support gut health. A 2023 study on the gut microbiome and endometriosis found a significant correlation between certain gut microbiome patterns and endometriosis diagnosis. ⁠In this study they were able to give mice endo by transplanting the microbiome of endometriosis mice to non-endometriosis mice. Whoa. So, what does this mean for you if you have endometriosis? That supporting a healthy gut microbiome is a key part of your wellness strategy. This is something I work with my patients on anyway since endometriosis is an inflammatory condition and the gut microbiome can either mediate or accentuate inflammation. Additionally, your body removes excess estrogen in your stool so eating enough fiber so that you have a healthy daily bowel movement important. I always give patients with endometriosis specific guidelines for a blood sugar stabilizing, anti-inflammatory diet. Reducing or eliminating common inflammatory foods like gluten, dairy, refined sugar, alcohol, and caffeine is one aspect of an anti-inflammatory diet. The other is to eat the rainbow (including organic berries which are huge in antioxidants) and to make sure you get a lot of leafy greens in as part of that rainbow.

8. Do Maya Abdominal Therapy. Maya Abdominal Therapy originates in ancient Maya massage practices as taught by Dr. Rosita Arvigo. Gentle external massage helps guide organs back into proper position and enhances the flow of blood, lymph, nerve impulses and energy in the abdomen, back, hips and sacrum. This increased flow removes congestion in the belly and pelvic bowl, restores balance and allows the body to heal. Along with the abdominal therapy I do in office I teach patients a self-care massage to do at home. This self-care massage continues the benefits of the Maya abdominal therapy and helps people (re)connect to their body generally and womb specifically. It is a powerful practice!

9. Work with a Pelvic Physical Therapist. The pelvic floor consists of all the muscles that surround the bowel, bladder, uterus, and vagina. Endometriosis can adhere to these muscles, ligaments and organs pulling them out of place and causing both pelvic pain and loss of function. A specially trained pelvic physical therapist can help release the scar tissue and get your pelvic floor muscles functioning appropriately again.

10. Consider Excision Surgery. Complete excision surgery performed by a surgeon that specializes in endometriosis is considered the gold standard of treatment for endo. We are fortunate here in Longmont and Boulder County to have several specialists; there are many parts of the country with none. You can find a surgeon who specializes in this on Nancy’s Nook. Laparoscopic excision of endometriosis was found to be effective at reducing pain and improving quality of life in 80% of patients and can last up to five years. Often fertility will be restored after laparoscopic surgery to remove endometriosis and people are able to conceive naturally. Laparoscopic surgery can also improve IVF outcomes.

Ready to start feeling better? Try out some of the strategies listed above! Interested in working with me for acupuncture, supplements, Chinese herbal medicine and Maya abdominal therapy? Schedule a free consultation and we can get started.