How to Treat Endometriosis

Endometriosis is characterized by the growth of tissue usually found in the uterus outside of the uterus. There is no cure for the disease, and most treatments will focus on pain relief. You should work with your doctor to treat endometriosis properly.

Things You'll Need

• Pain relievers
• Doctor or gynecologist

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Instructions

Treat Endometriosis With Traditional Methods

• 1

  Find the painkiller that works best for you. Over-the-counter pills like ibuprofen (Advil and Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) may work for many people, while some will need stronger prescription medicines.

• 2

  Expect your doctor to try different hormone therapies. From simple birth control to more complex gonadotropin releasing hormone agonists (GnRH agonists), you doctor will work with you to determine the best hormone treatment for you.

• 3

  Ask your doctor to treat your endometriosis while she is diagnosing it. During a laparoscopy, your doctor can actually burn off much of the visible endometrial cells. This may not prevent re-growth, but it should reduce the symptoms initially.

• 4

  Consider surgery if you are past child bearing years. A laparotomy (abdominal surgery) or hysterectomy (removal of the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries) both show great results in ridding the body of endometriosis. Recovery may take a few months for each surgery.

Use Alternative Therapy to Treat Endometriosis

• 5

  Work with a nutritionist to create a diet that relieves much of the pain caused by endometriosis. Your doctor may prescribe a diet to treat the symptoms and enhance other treatments.

• 6

  Increase your serotonin level. Low serotonin levels reduce your pain threshold. Eating certain foods, wearing lavender oil or getting more sunlight--especially during the second half of your menstrual cycle--can increase serotonin.

• 7

  Try acupuncture to help relieve pain from endometriosis. It can take some time to rebalance your body, but many insurance companies offer at least a partial reimbursement for acupuncture and other alternative treatments.

• 8

  Speak with your doctor before starting any alternative or complementary treatments. Many of these may interfere with treatments prescribed by your doctor, especially the use of herbs or vitamins to treat endometriosis.