Natural Treatments for Endometriosis: The Ultimate 2021 Pain Relief Guide

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If you look online for natural treatments for endometriosis, you’ll find a lot of big promises.

The truth?

There’s no magical remedy, supplement, treatment, or diet capable of healing all of your endometriosis symptoms at once.

There is no cure for endometriosis!

But if you want a simple, thorough guide on natural treatments for endometriosis, you’ve come to the right place.

In this massive, in-depth article:

We’ll walk you through the step-by-step process for using natural endometriosis treatments, answer some common endometriosis related questions, and show you the best alternative pain and symptoms relieves.

You’ll follow the simple steps, choose what helps you, and start treating your endometriosis symptoms all naturally.

Sound good?

Let’s dive in!

What is Endometriosis and Why It’s Time to Rewrite the Endometriosis Definition?

Endometriosis is a rare and very painful disorder. Most of the people have never heard of it before!

And there is a huge reason behind that.

Endometriosis is a painful condition that affects 1 in 10 women all over the world.

Endometriosis is not a visible sickness. You are constantly in pain, you can’t even make it through the day, but you don’t look sick.

That’s why often people and doctors won’t believe you. 

Now, let me ask you something. How long does it take to be diagnosed with endometriosis?

It takes a median of EIGHT years to reach a diagnosis of endometriosis from when the symptoms of the condition first appear confirmed a new British study (sometimes even longer)

Eight long years of pain, fatigue, infertility issues, miscarriages…till someone finally understands what’s wrong with you!

What is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a condition where cells similar to the ones which line the uterus, grow on other parts of the body and follow the pattern of the menstrual cycle. 

These cells break down as the womb lining does, causing blood to empty onto organs, other tissue and spaces within the body creating scarring, adhesions, inflammation and often debilitating pain. 

Despite this:

• endometriosis is not a period-dependent disease
• endometriosis can continue after the menopause and without the presence of a period
• the disease is also thought to be oestrogen dependent, and therefore the theory is that many people with endometriosis have a hormone imbalance called oestrogen-dominance

Endometriosis is a chronic condition, meaning it is ongoing and there is currently no cure. Managing its symptoms is possible through surgery, hormone treatment, as well as effective natural treatments.

• Endometriosis is the second most common gynecological condition, affecting 1 in 10 women all over the world 
• Endometriosis can affect any woman – regardless of race, age, social status, and it does not matter whether she gave birth or not
• It’s one of the most common causes of infertility in women
• The disease could be asymptomatic and hidden, but in most cases, there are clear signals, such as severe pain during a cycle, irregular cycle, cysts.

Endometriosis symptoms: Which Ones Do You Have?

Symptoms of endometriosis vary from person to person and doctors do not always list the following as medically recognised symptoms. Some women have many symptoms and severe pain, whereas others have no symptoms. 

The types of symptoms and their severity are likely to be related to the location of the endometrial tissue rather than the amount of endometrial cells growing.

Pain is the key symptom of this condition. Each woman with endometriosis will experience a different range of symptoms.

• Pelvic/back/leg pain between and during periods
• Painful sex
• Irregular periods
• Bladder frequency and/or pain when urinating
• Painful bowel movements
• Digestive problems including IBS
• Infertility
• Depression/anxiety
• Chronic fatigue
• Immune related disorders such as allergies

You should carry out more research into your symptoms. Keep a diary of your pain and other symptoms to take to appointments. 

The Reasons Why Your Symptoms Don’t Go Away

Rule Number 1 – Listen to your body!

The thing is, even though you love getting to be “normal” and doing  normal things, the truth is, You’re not normal. You have a condition, you need to rest and slow down.

You should learn how to deal with being “not normal.” Your body will remind you of that sometimes. Accept, and celebrate your pretty abnormal endometriosis life.

The best way to understand your symptoms is to look into your lifestyle. 

Here are the most common reasons why your symptoms don’t go away:

Reason #1: Inflammation

Have you ever asked yourself “Why do I feel great some days and crappy on others? And what do those nagging symptoms actually mean?” 

Maybe your body is trying to tell you something.

Inflammation!

Inflammation is not always a bad thing. Actually it’s necessary for our survival. 

However, inflammation can become a problem when the symptoms of inflammation are long-term. 

Chronic inflammation in the body can potentially lead to very serious health complications. 

The 5 Classic Symptoms of Inflammation are:

• Tiredness or sleeping disorders;
• Allergy or autoimmune disease;
• Itchy skin;
• Abdominal pain;
• Chest pain;

Reason #2: Stress

Excessive stress can raise the body’s stress hormones, which can also affect the ovaries and sex hormones. This is why you may miss a period when you are experiencing high levels of stress.

When you are stressed, your body releases more cortisol and adrenaline than is healthy. That has other implications for your health and disrupts your other hormones.

Reason #3: Diet

Following a healthy and anti-inflammatory diet is one of the most important things when living with endometriosis. It’s proven that certain foods may worsen endometriosis symptoms. 

The endometriosis diet serves to reduce inflammation in the body and as a result, reduce pain. 

Reason #4: Caffeine

Caffeine affects the possibility of developing Endometriosis:

• caffeine intake increases estrogen levels, which may increase the chance of developing Endometriosis or worsening the symptoms.
• studies show that women who drink coffee have up to 70% higher estrogen levels than women who do not and the American Journal of Epidemiology found that caffeine may increase the production of estrogen in a 1996 study.
• caffeine also inhibits the liver’s ability to reduce our estrogen levels. It prevents our liver from doing its job. So the estrogen levels, which are already increased by the caffeine intake, are unable to be reduced by our body’s natural functions.
• caffeine has been shown to aggravate and increase inflammation.

The Recommended Cures for Endometriosis (and Why They Don’t Work)

Endometriosis is still relatively misunderstood and very under researched in the medical world and so unfortunately, there is no known current cure. The most common treatment is surgery and hormonal medication. 

If endometriosis is found during a laparoscopy, surgeons will remove or destroy the areas with tools which apply a laser, an electric current, diathermy, helium gas or heat.

Hormone treatment can be used to stop menstruation and as a result slow down the growth of endometriosis.

Other treatments include painkillers and anti-inflammatories such as paracetamol, naproxen, ibuprofen and codeine, and contraceptives. 

Laparoscopy is the only way to see and prove endometriosis. Beside that, any hormonal medications are risky, have many and strong side-effects and may risken your health.

Because pregnancy brings higher progesterone levels, it often suppresses endometriosis symptoms, but it’s not a cure, and the pain will almost certainly come back after you give birth.

Natural Treatments for Endometriosis: Can Endometriosis Symptoms Go Away?

Along with laparoscopic surgery, managing endometriosis with the support of natural treatments and specific self-help remedies can help you to control your symptoms and improve your overall health. 

This will include reducing your pain, reducing the inflammation, and once your symptoms improve, you may find you have more energy. 

Using natural remedies for endometriosis has many benefits as they are safe and non-toxic and support the body to assist natural healing.

These alternative therapies are completely individualized as each woman experiences the condition differently. Nonetheless, it is essential to reduce inflammation, improve immune function, and optimize hormone levels. 

Natural treatments for endometriosis start with treating leaky gut, supporting the immune system, and balancing hormones. Everything is connected. Treating your endometriosis with drugs and hormones does not have to be your only option. 

There are many safe endometriosis natural treatments and simple self-help measures you can use to help with your symptoms and help to reduce your pain. As well as diet changes, there are also many supplements that can help with specific symptoms.

Some examples include herbal anti-inflammatories such as curcumin, specific-strain probiotics; herbal adaptogens such as Withania; and balancing estrogen excess with herbs like peony or vitex. Investing in these tests and treatments can make a massive difference long-term.

How Can I Reverse Endometriosis Naturally: Stop Crying on the Couch and Just Do It

You can ease your endometriosis symptoms naturally. Start with your lifestyle. Here is how to arrange your environment to help defeat endometriosis:

1. Stop out inflammation

Fighting inflammation is coming from the inside out. Think about what you put into your body. You need to stuff your plate with anti-inflammatory foods and avoid or keep pro-inflammatory foods to a minimum. 

Sounds easy right?

However, it’s so much more than a diet. 

It’s a way of living, it’s a medicine. 

The anti-inflammatory diet will help you to reverse endometriosis symptoms like leaky gut, IBS, acne, pain, and anxiety. On top of eating anti-inflammatory foods, you should also be eating MORE healthy, real food. The more nutrient-rich food you eat, the more nutrients your bodies absorb!

• Eat low inflammatory foods, like cruciferous vegetables, and nuts and seeds
• Reduce the amount of sugar you eat or eliminate it altogether. Sugar drives up the production of advanced-glycation end products, which contribute to inflammation. 

Anti-inflammatory foods are:

• Foods rich in Omega 3 (flaxseeds, chia seeds or hemp seeds, fish like salmon and mackerel)
• Foods rich in polyphenols (broccoli, spinach, carrots, cabbage, red peppers, lemons, apples, any kind of berries)
• Spices and Herbs (nettle, ginger, peppermint, green tea, turmeric, cinnamon, garlic, rosemary)

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2. Make ‘organic’ and ‘clean’ the main part of your life

The easiest way is to make the wallet-friendly choice. 

But stop for a moment and ask yourself: ‘How many products do you use/eat on a typical day – cheese, yogurt, milk, meat, fruits & vegetables…

Now ask yourself how many toxins are in those foods!

You should always keep in mind the true cost of the choice you’re making!

The toxins in these foods and products come into direct contact with your body and alter endocrine function, making endometriosis problems like pain worse. You may save at check-out, but you are ultimately paying with your health. 

Eat organic and clean whenever possible.

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3. Give up coffee

Giving up coffee may not be  just giving up any drink. You are giving up interest and small but very real pleasures in life. 

Caffeine is really bad for endometriosis?

But why?

Caffeine is found in coffee beans, tea leaves, and cocoa beans.

Coffee. Tea. Chocolate.

Quitting coffee is one of the main suggestions of the endometriosis diet. 

Start slowly, reducing coffee consumption one cup at a time and perhaps replacing it with decaf. Your body needs time, work out what’s comfortable to you.

Replace your morning coffee with green tea. Yes, it contains caffeine but not the same high levels.

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4. Find what relaxes  you…and make it a regular part of your life
   

Finding a way to manage stress is important. Meditating, exercising, and journaling can all be very useful, but what works can vary from person to person.

Alternative Treatments for Endometriosis: How to Get Started.

Endometriosis symptoms can’t go away in a day or two. Understanding your triggers is the most important step. 

With a mix of these treatment options, you can live pain-free during your period or when you get a flare-up.

Endometriosis Diet: What Foods to Eat and What to Avoid

The endometriosis diet, therefore, requires eliminating or reducing foods that are known to increase inflammation, including:

• Sugar
• Gluten
• Red meat
• Dairy
• Alcohol
• Caffeine

Suggested food groups and great alternatives are…

• Fruits and vegetables
• Grains like quinoa, gluten free oats, buckwheat groats, amaranth, polenta and wholegrain rice
• Goods fats found in cold pressed coconut and olive oil, nuts and seeds
• Pulses and legumes (soaked and in moderation)
• Herbal teas such as green tea, raspberry leaf, ginger
• Dairy free milks such as almond, oat and hemp

A lot of people with endometriosis experience a significant decrease in their pain and symptoms by ditching inflammatory foods and adopting a whole food plant-based diet.

The key component when starting the endometriosis diet is to understand what foods to eat and what your triggers are.

As you experiment and make changes, you’ll notice what triggers an upset stomach, fatigue, pain, etc and you can begin to know how to tailor the diet to suit you.

Supplements and Herbs

There is no scientific consensus on the effect of utilizing herbs and supplements for endometriosis and its related symptoms. 

However, herbs and supplements can impact different individuals in different ways, and some may experience relief from symptoms when using certain herbs or supplements in a healthy and safe manner.

What Herbs are Good for Endometriosis?

Healing your symptoms like pain, bloating, and flare-ups with herbs is truly possible. Chamomile, Turmeric, and nettle are some herbs for endometriosis that will help you cope with fatigue, pain, and endo belly.

Every herbal tea for endometriosis has a variety of health benefits. Some herbs can help with pain and abdominal cramps; others can be calming and can help you relax in the evening, while others can help you to detox or support your immune system.

1. Green tea – increases energy; it’s also so great for the IBS symptoms of Endometriosis and ginseng, which supports the immune system.
2. Peppermint – can help boost mood and decrease pain. The tea has shown promise in improving exercise performance and decreasing cramps and muscle pains. Peppermint can help reduce bloating.
3. Turmeric – reduces inflammation. 
4. Nettle – perfect for pain and cramps.
5. Chamomile – helps with anxiety and depression.

What Supplements are Good for Endometriosis?

Whether you are new to the diagnosis or longtime sufferer, you are likely here to learn a little more about how you can get some relief with the right supplements for endometriosis.  

Living with that disease means that your immune system feels pretty weak. Endometriosis is rooted in both an autoimmune reaction within the body and a hormonal imbalance of estrogen excess. 

While you should always, always have a “food first” mindset when addressing the symptoms of endometriosis, you will find that supplements for endometriosis can supercharge the work of food in the body and speed up the process of symptom management and recovery.

1. Evening Primrose Oil – acts to inhibit tumor growth in those with endometriosis. The oil from this wonderful flower has anti-Inflammatory properties and inhibits the growth of abnormal tissue. Some of the tumor growths are caused by prostaglandins. The GLA in primrose oil evens out prostaglandin production and can reduce pain from uterine contractions.
2. Serrapeptase – for pain and inflammation. Serrapeptase is great for debilitating cramps and deep abdominal pain.
3. Milk Thistle – This herb contains the antioxidant silymarin, repairs the cells in your liver, and protects cells from damage (thereby regenerating the strength of the liver to detox the body of excess estrogen), and it is anti-inflammatory. 
4. Vegan EPA and DHA oil – This oil is packed full of Omega 3 fatty acids, which are excellent anti-inflammatories and also important for healthy hormone function. Reducing inflammation helps reduce pain levels, and omega 3s have been shown to have a significant impact on the levels of endometriosis pain in the pelvic area. Also, inflammation has now been strongly linked to depression, which many women with endometriosis suffer from and can also hinder the body’s ability to heal. 
5. N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) for endometriosis – This is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. NAC helps boost the production of glutathione; an important antioxidant your body produces naturally that helps reduce free radical damage. NAC plays a role in your body detoxification of heavy metals and other harmful substances. The most important quality of NAC for women with endometriosis is that research shows that NAC effectively treats ovarian endometriosis.
6. Magnesium – When your body does not have enough Magnesium then systemic inflammation occurs. This can result in fatigue, headaches/migraines, aches, and pains. Magnesium helps keep adrenal stress hormones under control too. 

Daily Exercises and  Yoga

Exercising with Endometriosis takes effort. Chronic pain and feeling tired makes it difficult to do physical activity, but research shows that exercise:

1. Releases pain-relieving endorphins.
2. Promotes circulation, delivering oxygen and nutrients to your body.
3. Decreases the estrogen in your body that endometriosis is dependent on. 

Sometimes the last thing you feel like doing when you’re in a whole lot of pain is exercising, but it can help in a multitude of ways. Here’s why:

• Exercise reduces inflammation within the body;
• Exercise helps with desensitization of pain;
• Exercise and stretching can help relax tight muscles;
• Exercise can improve strength and posture;

Here is what to do:

1. Low impact aerobic exercise: think brisk walking or swimming; upright cycling if tolerated otherwise the recumbent bicycle can be a good alternative; Aim for 30 – 60 minutes most days of the week.
2. Strength & core exercise: focus on slowly rebuilding lower back strength and core control with progressive Pilates movements and basic pelvic floor exercises.
3. Social activities: being with others and moving your body in ways you enjoy can be the best exercise there is! My advice is to explore other avenues of movement such as dance classes, bushwalking, lawn bowls, gardening, or water aerobics.

Castor Oil and How to Use It for Endometriosis Pain Relief

Castor Oil itself is widely known for its ability to break up stagnation; there is some evidence it can have a suppressive effect on tumors, warts, accumulations, and so on. 

Castor Oil packs can help you move toward your trouble-free period. Actually, castor oil packs aren’t just for those with endometriosis. Castor oil packs help with overall circulation, promote ovarian, uterine, and fallopian tube health, increase egg quality, and have your lady parts all-around happy!

Because of their general promotion of circulation, they are also considered detoxifying. Castor Oil Packs are a great tool to help naturally promote reproductive health. They recommend a variety of gynecological conditions including fertility, endometriosis, menstrual cramps, fibroids, hormonal balance.

Why is good castor oil for endometriosis?

• May help reduce the bloat of endo belly
• Helps break down scar tissue
• Eases cramping when used on the abdomen
• Calms central nervous system
• Increases lymphatic flow
• Reduces inflammations, pain, and swelling
• Supports liver detox when placed over the liver
• Strengthens immune system
• Supports digestion

Use the castor oil pack daily or every other day for 30 to 60 days, except during your period, when bleeding, or if you are pregnant.

For less severe pain try using it three times per week for 30 days, except during your period

Continue less frequently (1-2 times per week) for another 2 or 3 months, eventually reducing use to twice a month

How to Make Your Own Castor Oil Pack at Home

Listen to Your Womb and Tyr Yoni Steaming for Endometriosis

Also known as vaginal steaming, the treatment uses medicinal plants (yoni steam herbs) to cleanse, heal and tone the uterus, which in turn reduces discomfort associated with menstruation and comes with a whole host of other benefits.

A yoni steam (aka. vaginal steam or V steams), is an old womanly healing art and they are becoming popular again. They are certainly part of the Maya healing lineage and used mainly to cleanse the uterus when there are menstrual difficulties, after birth, and with menopause to completely clean the womb when finished bleeding. They are popular in Central America, India, eastern Europe, and in Korea where women use them regularly as part of their hygiene.

Women with conditions affecting their pelvic health, such as endometriosis, can get really disconnected from their uterus, their wombs, that female part of themselves.

• Improves menstrual cycle
• Heals the womb
• Helps with relaxation
• Helps to increase fertility
• Cleanse of the entire reproductive system
• Increase of circulation in the reproductive organs/areas
• Enable the womb to shed unnecessary membranes and buildup
• Reduce period discomfort by supporting the uterus to function at its best
• Creates space for blissful relaxation
• Deeply connects a woman with her source of power
• Makes sex more juicy
• Speeds recovery after birth

Now It’s Time to Put These Natural Treatments Into Your Lifestyle

Most who read this post will smile, nod their head in agreement, and keep taking hundreds of pills, hormones and other toxins, just because their doctor told them so. 

But not you.

You know it’s time for a change that’s not another hard treatment. That’s why you’ve already picked out a few of the suggested natural treatments for endometriosis, and it’s why you can’t wait to try them.

On its own, even the best treatment for endometriosis won’t cure that horrible and painful condition. But each one of these alternative treatments, little by little can help you feel better and live a normal pain-free life. 

So, are you ready to try? Ready to help your body feel better? Ready to go from being at a 9/10 on the pain scale and crying on the floor for most of the day to not needing to reach for codeine and actually enjoying the first day of your period!

Then it’s time to change your treatment routine.

Let’s do this thing.

xo,

Lora