Alternative And Traditional Treatments For Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a painful condition that causes your endometrial tissue to grow out of control outside of your uterus. It is usually triggered by high estrogen levels, and it is a major cause of infertility. If you experience painful menstrual periods, bleed between your periods, or experience heavy menstrual bleeding, make an appointment with your gynecologist to rule out endometriosis. Here are some alternative and traditional treatments to consider if you are diagnosed with this common gynecological disorder. 

Alternative Endometriosis Treatment Options

Dietary supplements such as magnesium citrate can help ease the pain of endometriosis. Magnesium helps relax contractions of smooth muscle tissue, and in addition to relieving uterine contractions, magnesium supplements can also help reduce endometriosis-related back and pelvic pain. If you take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or aspirin, talk to your doctor before taking magnesium citrate supplements.

The combination of over-the-counter pain relievers and magnesium can raise your risk for abnormal or heavy bleeding. If you don't want to take magnesium supplements, consuming more magnesium-rich foods may help ease your symptoms. Foods that are high in magnesium include nuts, avocados, spinach, and dark chocolate.

Endometriosis-related pain may also prevent you from enjoying restorative sleep. Magnesium helps induce drowsiness and relaxation so that you can fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. 

Traditional Endometriosis Treatments

Androgen medications are often used to shrink endometrial lesions. These medications suppress estrogen production, which helps stop the progression of the disease. While effective in relieving symptoms, androgenic medications can cause severe fatigue, hair loss, a deepening of the voice, oily skin, and cessation of the menstrual period. They may also cause abnormal blood tests such as high liver enzymes, and may also cause cystic acne.

Another common treatment for endometriosis is surgery to remove the lesions. It is important to note, that while surgery can eliminate excess endometrial tissue, endometriosis can return unless steps are taken to suppress estrogen levels. Effective treatments can improve your chances of pregnancy, however, talk to your doctor about using other forms of birth control while taking androgen medications because they may raise the risk for certain birth defects. 

If you believe you may have endometriosis, make an appointment with your gynecologist. He or she may recommend that you undergo exploratory laparoscopic surgery so that your gynecological organs can be visualized. Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that only requires a few very small incisions. It is also known as "keyhole" surgery. From there, your doctor can recommend effective endometriosis treatment.