If you do not have endometriosis you might just think it is a condition that impacts a woman’s ability to get pregnant. But, if you have endometriosis you know is far more than that. According to the Office of Women’s Health affects approximately 11% of women between the age of 15 and 44. The Office of Women’s Health provides a helpful description of what endometriosis is, “Endometriosis, sometimes called “endo,” is a common health problem in women. It gets its name from the word endometrium, the tissue that normally lines the uterus or womb. Endometriosis happens when this tissue grows outside of your uterus and on other areas in your body where it doesn’t belong.” Common symptoms of endometriosis include painful periods including pelvic pain and cramping, pain during or after intercourse, pain with bowel movements or urination, excessive bleeding during or between periods, infertility, and other symptoms such as fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, nausea and more.
Needless to say, endometriosis can have a major impact on someone’s day to day life. Symptoms may at the time be minor while at other times may leave someone bedridden. Conventional treatments for endometriosis include pain management, infertility treatments, hormone therapy, surgery and more. But, naturopathic medicine wants to do more than mask symptoms, naturopathic medicine wants to treat the root of the cause, relieve symptoms, and improve holistic health. For those reasons, as a naturopath, I like to look to acupuncture as a treatment for endometriosis. And, naturopaths are not the only physicians using acupuncture to treat endometriosis. In fact, the Endometriosis Foundation of America notes just how effective acupuncture can be in the treatment of endometriosis, “Recently, The Blossom sat down with Meghan Van Dina, who not only runs her practice, North Nassau Acupuncture in Great Neck, NY but has also begun working with the Northwell Center for Wellness and Integrative Medicine to use a more holistic approach in helping women with reproductive health issues…’We treat a lot of patients who are experiencing endometriosis,’ says Van Dina. When those patients complain of bad cramping, pain, and PMS, Van Dina tailors her approach. ‘The main thing we look to do is correct the underlying imbalance in the body that is causing these symptoms. Endometriosis patients will mostly get needles in their lower abdomen and pelvic area. However, we also do points in the hands, arms, and legs, as we look to target a number of different channels.’ With such specific needle placement, Megan says it is her goal to allow the body to conduct its natural response of sending blood flow to specific areas of the body. More blood flow, she says, means less endo-related inflammation, which means less pain…’From a hormonal balance standpoint, acupuncture has also been found to release norepinephrine and put us in a state of rest and digest, which is when our body can begin healing itself. It is in this state that our endocrine system can start functioning more optimally.’”
At Health for Life ND, we believe strongly that the ancient practice of using acupuncture to balance the body’s energy can be used to treat a wide variety of ailments including acute pain, physical stress, headaches, sports injuries, anxiety, mental stress, and endometriosis. We can provide the calm and serene environment you need to manage endometriosis symptoms, experience relief from pain, and help your body heal.