How to Beat Endometrosis

Endometriosis is a disease that can cause physical and emotional pain. The symptoms and degree of pain vary widely; some women experience mild symptoms while others experience symptoms ranging from chronic pelvic pain and fatigue to pelvic adhesions. Fortunately, endometriosis can be put into remission or the symptoms greatly alleviated by using a number of different treatment options. The most important thing to remember: You can beat endometriosis, not the other way around.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Positive attitude
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or analgesics
• Natural supplements
• Alternative treatments
• Surgery

Beat Endometriosis

1. Think positive! This is perhaps the best thing you can to beat this disease. Your immune system has a lot to do with how well you heal, so if you believe you feel better, chances are you will. Yes, it’s difficult to stay positive when you’re experiencing a host of painful symptoms, but if you focus on telling yourself that you feel better, chances are you soon will.
2. Make and keep regular appointments with your physician or gynecologist . If your endometriosis is mild, you may only need to be observed. However, if your pain becomes more than you can handle, your gynecologist may prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or analgesics to help you cope with the pain associated with endometriosis.
3. Give natural supplements a try. Vitex berries are said to balance a woman’s hormones; burdock is believed to help the liver clear estrogen from the body. Castor oil packs are also said to be a help in improving the function of the immune system in the pelvic area.
4. Change your diet. The purpose of an endometriosis diet is to eliminate foods that encourage symptoms, while increasing or adding foods that lower prostaglandins. This is important because prostaglandins are stimulated by estrogen. General changes to your diet include adding more fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, and reducing or eliminating dairy products and meat. Some foods you should avoid altogether include: alcohol, chocolate, caffeine, saturated fats, butter and margarine; foods and drinks that have a lot of sugar in them; fried foods and refined carbohydrates like cakes, bread and pasta.
5. Try alternative treatments such as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). This is a drug-free method of treating pain that uses electrical impulses to stimulate nerve endings near the site of the pain. Pain is replaced with a massage-like or tingling sensation. Massage, aromatherapy, yoga and acupuncture are other alternative treatments.
6. Suppress the symptoms of endometriosis with hormone therapy. This treatment temporarily helps ease the symptoms of endometriosis, but it will not cure the disease. As with all drug treatments, there is also the risk of side effects.
7. Undergo surgery to alleviate pain and the symptoms of severe endometriosis.