Endometriosis: Naturopathic treatments that can really work

Endometriosis is a painful gynecological condition in which endometrial lining can be found growing outside of the uterus. The condition is affected by hormones, but rather than considered a hormonal condition, naturopathically endometriosis is considered more of an inflammatory and autoimmune condition. In conventional medicine, hormonal suppression (birth control or lupron) remains the primary treatment, but as the condition is not hormonal in cause, a suppressive hormonal treatment does not address the underlying cause of why the condition is present for the woman.

Naturopathic medicine identifies autoimmune conditions, such as endometriosis, as a conditions that is more of a terrain issue, meaning that the healing must occur at the level of our guts, our gastrointestinal tract (our terrain) in order to correct for imbalances. Naturopathic medicinal approaches to endometriosis address cause level connections, that is, reducing inflammation and improving immunity.

Naturopathic treatments for endometriosis can include:

Dietary – avoid cow dairy as it stimulates the release of inflammatory cytokines. In our office working with patients with endometriosis, avoiding cow dairy is the most effective treatment for endometriosis

Berberine – this is a very important herb for repairing intestinal permeability and neutralizing bacteria often associated with endometriosis.

Zinc – repairs intestinal permeability and reduces pain

Tumeric/Curcumin – reduces the size and the activity of endometrial lesions.

There are other naturopathic treatments that have been known to work well too, but fundamentally naturopathic medicine is an individualized medicine, and in so, it is important to work with the uniqueness of each patient when making more specific recommendations.