Treating Endometriosis
The treatment of endometriosis depends on a great many factors including a woman's specific symptoms, her age, and her decision about whether she wishes to conceive a child. A woman with endometriosis will need to have an open and frank discussion with her physician so that together they can determine a treatment plan that will be all-encompassing and serve a woman's needs over the long term. In most cases, this will involve a combination of therapies that will need to be administered over a long period of time.
Chronic Pain
Pain is the most common symptom of endometriosis, though not all women with the condition will experience this symptom. Pain medication is broken down into five classes:
*Simple analgesics, such as aspirin or paracetamol
*Compound analgesics consisting of more than one type of analgesic
*Mild narcotics such as codeine
*Narcotic analgesics like morphine
*Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen or voltaren.
Hormone Therapy
Because estrogen can aggravate endometriosis, treatments that help regulate estrogen production can bring vast if temporary relief. These therapies include:
*Combination oral contraceptive pills
*Synthetic progesterone
*Mirena IUD
*GnRH-analogues (agonists and antagonists)
*Danazol
*Aromatase inhibitors
Laparoscopic Surgery
Then there is laparoscopic surgery, which serves two purposes: diagnostic and therapeutic. Laparoscopic surgery is the only way to confirm the diagnosis of endometriosis but the surgery can also be used to treat the condition. In order to be a successful treatment, the surgeon must be thorough in removing every trace of endometriosis including adhesions, cysts, and lesions. Where the damage is severe, as in the case of widespread disease or when there is a need for bowel resection, a full abdominal incision known as a laparotomy may need to be performed.
Some women have been told that hysterectomy is the only complete cure for endometriosis. This is an untruth. The disease can still recur even after the entire uterus is removed. While this may be the best solution for some sufferers it's important to keep in mind that there is no assurance that your disease will not recur after your surgery.
Maintaining a quota of daily nutrients is something that can benefit anyone. Eating right may help your body withstand the physical trauma of your disease.
Alternative Medicine
Some women have explored alternative medical treatments. While no proven benefit can be established, some women have found that homeopathy, herbal treatments, osteopathy, or Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have given them symptom relief.
Physiotherapy is another area to explore. A physiotherapist can create an individualized exercise program and teach you relaxation techniques. These exercises and techniques will help you to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, give you pain relief, and help you to manage your stress and anxiety. If you undergo surgery, physiotherapy can offer gentle rehabilitation to help strengthen your back and abdominal muscles.
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