Endometriosis - an Osteopathic approach (Part 3)

Today we are talking all things Osteopathy & endometriosis. Sadly, people don’t often think of including an osteopath as part of their endo support team. This, I think, comes from not understanding how osteopaths view the body or the far-reaching impacts of endometriosis.  

As discussed in previous blog entries, endometriosis affects every system in our body. It impacts our gut, nervous system, immune functions as well as our musculoskeletal system. As osteopaths, we are trained to consider all these components in relation to the others AND treat. I decided to break it down into these different systems to better explain how osteo can help.  

Musculoskeletal system 

Endometrial adhesions and post-surgical scarring (internal and external) can create restrictions in the connective tissue (fascia) and result in ‘pulling’ or ‘tightening’ of different ligaments and muscles. This can result in reduced movement and compensations that occur throughout the entire body. This is the bread ‘n’ butter of osteopathy! We’re able to find where restrictions are, how the body is adapting to them and work on releasing the appropriate structures.  

This can be done using a range of techniques – myofascial release, soft tissue massage, joint manipulation or gentle unwinds.  

Osteopaths also consider how the different body parts work together – a good example of this is how our rib cage impacts our pelvis (and vice versa). Because our diaphragm (breathing muscle) and pelvic floor work in synergy, it is important that both muscles are not restricted (by tight ribs or hips) and free to move easily.  

Treatment can be aimed around managing symptoms at the time of periods, addressing compensatory and restrictive movement patterns, reducing pelvic pain & related symptoms and more. Reach out to your osteopath to discuss how it may benefit you.  

Gut & immune system

I’ve combined these two systems because they’re very closely linked, especially in the case of endometriosis. I discussed in a previous post how important good gut function is for the management of endometriosis - how it allows for proper oestrogen removal & decreases mechanical load on our body.  

Osteopaths are taught to treat the connective tissue around the organs to allow for better functioning. Techniques can help improve how easily food travels through our digestive system, normalize bowel movements (constipation/diarrohea) and manage nausea, sometimes associated with periods.  

Given that endometriosis is an inflammatory condition, there is an increased demand placed on the immune system. All the drainage (removal of used blood & cellular waste) from the pelvis and low back pass through the abdomen and can have an impact on gut function. We, as osteopaths, focus on reducing congestion (often the culprit behind painful periods, pain after sex and more).  

Using lymphatic drainage & myofascial techniques, an osteopath can improve fluid dynamics and help reduce the accumulation of inflammatory substances.  

Nervous system 

There are a few ways in which the nervous system can affect a woman experiencing endo symptoms.  

Firstly, endometriosis is often associated with persistent pelvic pain which can be a complex issue and I will expand on this in a future post. Very simply put, the more often our nervous system is exposed to things it perceives as a ‘risk’, the more aware of that stimulus it becomes and the more pain we perceive. This means that if we’re being exposed to inflammatory substances, fluid congestion or muscle spasm (and more) month in and month out, eventually our bodies become more responsive to this, and, in a way, can snowball symptoms. 

Secondly, endometriosis can have significant implications for an individual’s mental health. It has been found that there is a high incidence of women who have endometriosis also suffering anxiety and depression (although this hasn’t been shown as a cause and effect). Anxiety keeps us in a state of ‘fight or flight’ (sympathetic nervous system) and drives us away from our ‘rest and digest’ (parasympathetic nervous system). This means that our sleep, digestion, pain tolerance and more can be affected.  

Osteopaths work with the nervous system directly by treating the pathway of the nerves, by using movement to help recalibrate how nerves perceive pain & stimuli and by helping down-regulate the sympathetic nervous system to create balance with the parasympathetic nervous system.  

That was a lot of info so here’s a TLDR: Osteopathy uses a lot of different techniques to help address all the different systems involved with endometriosis. With the aim of improving digestion and lymphatics, regulating the nervous system and keeping the musculoskeletal framework moving freely to help manage the symptoms of endo.  

Thank you for following along on this little endo series. I hope it has helped clarify what endo is, how it's diagnosed and the different management options. Most importantly, I hope it has made you feel seen and offered some hope in a sometimes-overwhelming journey. If you’d like some more information on how osteopathy might help you then please feel free to reach out. I’m very passionate about helping my endo patients live with a better quality of life, however that looks for them! 

Until next time,  

Zoe xo