Skip to content

Endometriosis and Acupuncture - Does it work?

AcupunctureAre you struggling with endometriosis pain? Try acupuncture!!

Here is some useful information about how acupuncture works to combat endometriosis related pain…

Endometriosis is a chronic condition characterized by growth of endometrial tissue in sites other than the uterus, most commonly in the pelvic cavity, but also in other parts of the body.

This ectopic tissue responds to the hormonal changes of the menstrual cycle, with subsequent bleeding, inflammation, and pain.

It has been shown that acupuncture treatment may specifically be of benefit in people with endometriosis by:

  • Providing pain relief – by stimulating nerves located in muscles and other tissues, acupuncture leads to release of endorphins and other neurohumoral factors, and changes the processing of pain in the brain and spinal cord.
  • Reducing inflammation – by promoting release of vascular and immunomodulatory factors.
  • Regulating levels of prostaglandins.
  • Combining acupuncture with Chinese herbal medicine for endometriosis has been shown in animal studies to down-regulate the abnormal increase of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) levels that is associated with ectopic activity of endometrial cells. The treated rats had reduced areas of ectopic tissue. MMP-2 is required for the anchoring of the placenta to the uterine wall in pregnancy but over-production can lead to endometriosis.

Check out the full article at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5659600/

If you are struggling, give us a call to schedule with Dr. McGee. She has years of experience treating chronic issues such as endometriosis pain as well as other women’s health issues.

Add Your Comment (Get a Gravatar)

Your Name

*

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *.