ENDOMETRIOSIS - Management (Part 2)
As we discussed last week, endometriosis is a condition that affects a lot of people and can have impacts on all the systems in our body and symptoms can vary greatly from person to person. Whilst there isn’t currently a ‘cure’ for endometriosis there are so many avenues for management which is what we’ll discuss today.
AT-HOME/SELF CARE
Whilst it may not always feel like it, we have a lot of control over how we perceive pain. For example, if an individual is stressed or sleep-deprived they’re more likely to report higher levels of pain. Likewise, someone who moves their body regularly is less likely to report higher levels of pain. (Side note.. pain is a very complex topic so maybe I’ll dive deeper into it in a future post). Some things we can do to help improve our experience of pain include:
GOOD SLEEP & ADEQUATE REST - the only opportunity our body has to truly heal, and regenerate is whilst we are asleep.
Proper sleep hygiene: this can involve a wind-down routine, reducing blue light before bed, and avoiding over-stimulation once in bed (sorry but this means scrolling)
Striving for an appropriate bedtime: making sure that you’re getting to bed (and sleep) early enough to achieve a minimum of eight hours
Reducing caffeine intake: we often use caffeine to get us off the floor when our energy’s gone out the door. However, this can impact our sleep that night. Try to avoid caffeine after lunch.
Activity pacing: this can be a bit more complicated and involves breaking tasks up into manageable portions. If you’re prone to smashing all your chores out in one day and then feeling lousy for 3 days, then this is for you. Trying to do a little, more consistently can go a long way in preventing pain spikes and our long-term experience of pain (I’m definitely doing a post about pain soon!)
GUT HEALTH
Anti-inflammatory diet: because endo is an inflammatory condition, we can help manage our symptoms through diet. Typically, an anti-inflammatory diet involves incorporating a lot of antioxidants (lots of colourful fruits and veggies) & healthy fats (e.g. extra virgin olive oil, avocado, oily fish) and reducing things like processed foods and alcohol.
Avoiding restrictive diets: a lot of people with endo also experience food intolerances and IBS, this can lead them down a rabbit hole of very restrictive diets. Not only does this sap the joy out of eating, it's also very hard to maintain long term and can result in deficiencies. If you’re struggling with gut concerns or IBS-like symptoms, I strongly suggest getting support from a naturopath or dietician (there are so many that specialise in endometriosis).
Healthy bowel movements: chronic constipation is an issue in people suffering endometriosis for several reasons. Firstly, bowel movements are the only way our body has to get rid of excess oestrogen (high levels of oestrogen will exacerbate endo symptoms). Secondly, when the bowel is backed up there’s more pressure placed on the pelvic floor which can contribute to low back pain, pelvic pain, pain with sex and more. To avoid constipation ensure you are drinking lots of water, eating plenty of fibre, not holding on when you feel the urge and practicing good pooing habits
SYMPTOM AND PAIN MANAGEMENT
Breathwork: helps with lymphatic drainage, balancing nervous system, mobilising organs and pelvic floor function. There are a few different ways to do this (I’ll include some links below)
Dry brushing: again, helps with lymphatic drainage
Castor oil packs: can help with bloating (‘endo belly’)
Regular movement: this can be walking or gentle stretching (I’ll also include a link for this)
Meditation: can help with pain management by balancing nervous system
Heat: helps with muscle pain and period cramping
MEDICAL MANAGEMENT
MEDICATIONS
Hormonal contraception is considered an effective method for managing heavy or painful periods and can also be useful in delaying the recurrence of endometriosis following surgery. There are risks associated with any medications and so it's important to discuss your options with your GP or gynecologist.
SURGERY
As discussed in my last post, laparoscopic surgery is currently the only way to diagnose endometriosis. If this is an avenue that you and your gynecologist decide to take, endometriosis is often surgically removed at the time of discovery.
There is strong evidence to support that there are better outcomes associated with excision (cutting) than laser surgery and if the operation is performed by a gynecologist who has additional training in laparoscopic/endometrial surgery.
FERTILITY CONCERNS
Endometriosis can have an impact on a woman’s ability to conceive naturally. This can be due to where the endometriosis is located (e.g. tubes, ovaries, uterus) or as a result of the pelvis being in an inflammatory state. Thankfully, today there are so many options for assisted reproduction and there are so many people that can help make up part of your team – fertility specialists, gynecologists, naturopaths/dietitians, acupuncturists and osteopaths.
Concerns around fertility can have a significant impact on someone’s mental health so it's important to seek help if you’re struggling.
As you can see, there are SO many ways that we can take control of our pain picture and help manage symptoms of endometriosis. I hope that this helps empower you to create small changes that go a long way in improving your experience of endometriosis and lets you know that there are so many professionals that can help you navigate your endo journey.
On that note... next week we dive deeper into how OSTEOPATHY can help people suffering from endo.
Until then,
Zoe xo
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