All Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine therapies are performed by a Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner. We complete a full intake and diagnosis according to Traditional Chinese Medicine principles, providing individualized treatment plans to help optimize your overall health and wellness.
Endometriosis is a pattern of disease that can be difficult to diagnose, and often takes a series of tests and specialists before a diagnosis is clear. Its difficulty resides in the large variety of symptoms that patients present, some of the common symptoms however may include: pelvic pain occurring just before menstruation and lessens after menstruation. Symptoms may also include painful intercourse, pain during bowel movement and urination. Symptoms can be excruciating and tend to gradually get worse over time. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine can help manage these symptoms and stabilize the growth pattern of the endometrial tissue.
Endometriosis is the abnormal growth of endometrial tissue (normally found within the uterus), outside of the uterus. Often found by the bowel and ovaries. This tissue like the uterine tissue will bleed during the menstrual cycle, causing pain and discomfort. A diagnosis of endometriosis in severe cases may require surgery and may cause fertility issues. These are some treatment options in the different stages of this disease.
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture can be an effective means of treating endometriosis pain and helping to optimize fertility.
Treatment Options to Help Manage Symptoms:
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine these symptoms are referred to as Blood Stasis, we address these symptoms with a combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs are used to promote blood circulation in the lower abdomen, reduce pain and inflammation and regulate menstrual flow.
Treatment plans usually range from 6-12 months and progress is assessed during each menses. Once a thorough initial intake and a TCM diagnosis and treatment principal is determined a course of treatment is discussed with the patient. Typically, weekly acupuncture treatment is recommended with one of the sessions timed when pain is most intense. If Chinese Herbs are appropriate it is prescribed and usually taken daily with reassessments on a weekly basis.
Mercier Abdominal Massage can be a great adjunct to acupuncture. This form of massage specifically addresses the abdomen and lower back to help reduce adhesion and scaring and improve circulation in the lower abdominal area. Like acupuncture, this may help to decrease pain and regulate flow over time. 12 consecutive sessions are usually recommended.
Treatment Options to Help you Conceive:
Both Acupuncture and Mercier Abdominal Massage can be helpful optimizing your reproductive health to support your chances of conceiving by:
- Improve uterine blood flow,
- Reducing scarring and adhesion
- Decreasing pelvic inflammation
- Regulating menstrual cycle
In severe cases of endometriosis where the tissue has become wide spread and pain is debilitating, surgery may be a required option. The Obstetrician will perform a laparoscopic surgery to remove large adhesions of endometrial tissue from the abdomen. The surgery is the least invasive type of surgery and recovery is relatively fast due to the minimal incisions made. Regardless, recovery post-surgery still exists and over time the endometrial tissue tends to grow back. Acupuncture and massage can help to maintain results and speed recovery.
Treatment Options Post Laparoscopic Surgery:
Using Acupuncture post-surgery will help decrease inflammation and promote healing to help your recovery. It is really beneficial to continue acupuncture after surgery on a regular basis to continue managing inflammation allowing for a slower regression of symptoms and endometrial tissue.
Endometriosis is a difficult diagnosis to live with, management of the symptoms is key to maintaining tolerable levels of pain during menstrual cycles. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine can be very helpful to manage mild to moderate stages of endometriosis, helping patients regain their quality of life.
