Intense and debilitating abdominal pain that seems to be relieved by nothing, fatigue, digestive and urinary disorders, lower back pain...
For 10 to 20% of women, the period of menstruation is a real ordeal. It is wrongly believed that it is normal to suffer during menstruation, or even that women are simply sensitive. However, these women are not hypochondriacs and suffer from a disease, often taboo, called endometriosis.
Although the word is spreading, this heavy chronic disease remains under-diagnosed and scorned by the medical community even today. What is it? What are its causes and symptoms? What are the natural methods to alleviate the pain and disorders caused by endometriosis?
What is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is defined as the presence of uterine mucosa outside the uterine cavity.
The endometrium is the tissue that lines the uterus. During the menstrual cycle, under the influence of hormones, this endometrium thickens in preparation for potential pregnancy. Without fertilization, it disintegrates and bleeds. These are the periods. When suffering from endometriosis, cells move up and migrate through the fallopian tubes. A tissue similar to endometrial tissue develops outside the uterus and causes lesions, adhesions, and cysts in the affected organs. This colonization, if it mainly occurs on the genital organs and the peritoneum, can frequently extend to the urinary and digestive systems, and more rarely to the lungs.
Since the lesions are sensitive to hormonal fluctuations, endometriosis is said to be an estrogen-dependent disease.
What are the Symptoms of Endometriosis?
There is not one but several types of endometriosis, and symptoms can vary considerably among women. However, pain, often sharp and disabling, is THE warning sign.
The main symptoms of endometriosis are:
- Pelvic pain, i.e., gynecological pain, before, during, or after menstruation or during ovulation.
- Pain during sexual intercourse.
- Urinary pain due to the pressure caused by urine retention in the bladder. There is also an increased risk of urinary tract infections, especially after sexual intercourse, as well as an increased frequency of urination.
- Weakening of the immune system with a higher frequency of colds, allergies, food intolerances, as well as skin sensitivities.
- Fatigue.
- Lower back pain and shoulder pain: sore muscles and muscle tension accumulating in the lower back and shoulder region during and after menstruation.
- Intestinal pain and disorders: pain during bowel movements, alternating diarrhea and constipation, bloating, swelling...
- Mood swings related to hormonal disturbances.
- Blood clots, heavy or irregular bleeding during menstrual periods.
- Infertility: 40% of women with endometriosis have difficulty conceiving.
- The impact of endometriosis on daily life is significant because the disease often leads to:
- Depressive states and chronic fatigue: so-called "reactive anxiety," akin to burnout.
- A feeling of frustration due to difficulties with sexual intercourse, for example.
- Sleep disorders often due to pain that wakes at night.
- Difficulty taking care of oneself: loss of self-confidence, weight issues...
- Difficulty taking care of one's family.
- Difficulty in maintaining a professional life due to frequent sick leave and/or lack of understanding from superiors and colleagues.
- Difficulty enjoying social life (isolation, loneliness facing the disease, lack of understanding from loved ones).
The Causes and Risk Factors of Endometriosis
Discovered in the late 19th century, endometriosis remains a mysterious disease whose causes are unknown. However, as research progresses, new avenues are discovered, allowing us to define endometriosis as a "multifactorial disease resulting from the combined action of genetic and environmental factors, and factors related to menstruation" (2).
Among the different probable causes and factors of endometriosis, we can mention:
- Hormonal imbalances such as hyperestrogenism or progesterone resistance.
- Family history (i.e., a genetic factor). Thus, about 10% of cases are familial. Having a first-degree relative (mother, sister, or daughter) with endometriosis increases the risk of being affected by a factor of 7 to 10 (3).
- A diet rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and meat consumption seem to increase the risk of endometriosis due to an effect of hyperestrogenism.
- Obstructive congenital anomalies of the genital tract or unicornuate uterus.
- The onset of early periods, short cycles, nulliparity (not having children), the use of copper intrauterine devices (IUDs).
- Immune factors (4)(5): oxidative stress, immune system dysfunctions, physiological disorders... A link to autoimmune or endocrine diseases is often established.
- Environmental factors (notably the impact of endocrine disruptors).
- Low levels of physical activity.
- Low BMI - endometriosis seems to affect tall, thin women more.
Understanding the factors of endometriosis better allows us to find solutions to, at least, alleviate the symptoms of the disease.
Naturally Relieving Endometriosis
There is currently no definitive treatment for endometriosis, although surgery and hormone therapy can stem the disease from a few months to a few years. Alongside medical treatment, hygienic and dietary principles as well as the use of gentle methods can offer some relief to patients.
Diet
Numerous studies show a link between endometriosis and diet, and nutritional changes can help affected individuals suffer less, and perhaps even limit its spread.
Since endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disease and is associated with inflammatory phenomena, an anti-inflammatory diet that limits hyperestrogenism appears to have positive effects (7).
In this regard, dietary adjustments can be made:
Better choices of fats to balance omega-3/omega-6 intake (8). It has been shown that a diet rich in omega-3 helps reduce the risk of developing endometriosis, or even regress the disease (9). Limit your consumption of omega-6 (sunflower oil, grape seed oil, peanut oil...) and focus on omega-3 (fatty fish like salmon, sardines, herring, trout, as well as walnuts, flaxseeds, vegetable oils rich in alpha-linolenic acid).
Limitation (or elimination) of red meat and processed meats. There is indeed a link between meat consumption and endometriosis, which can be explained by various factors: impact on estrogen production, richness in iron (10), and/or the inflammatory and oxidative potential of red meat.
Increase the portion of fruits and vegetables (11), especially for their richness in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
Limitation or elimination of gluten. While there is no conclusive study to date regarding the elimination of gluten, women affected by endometriosis who have experienced
it report an improvement in their symptoms. Each person should experiment with this!
Reduce exposure to endocrine disruptors. Avoid canned foods and reheated dishes and opt for organic.
Nutritional and Herbal Supplements
In addition to a more appropriate diet, certain dietary supplements can help alleviate the symptoms of endometriosis and its impact on daily life:
- Omega-3. As mentioned, omega-3s are a valuable aid in fighting inflammation, limiting the manifestations of endometriosis, and its development. If the diet, due to a specific diet or intolerances, does not provide enough omega-3, supplementation may be beneficial.
- Magnesium. Not only is magnesium a natural stress reliever and contributes to the proper functioning of muscles, arteries, and nerve cells, but it also has analgesic properties, as it inhibits pain mediators (12).
- Turmeric. Several studies have shown that curcumin or diferuloyl methane, which is the main pigment of turmeric, had, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, a positive effect on pain, but also on reducing inflammation.
- Melissa. This plant contains polyphenols and essential oils known for their antispasmodic properties and is therefore particularly recommended for painful periods. It also has digestive and relaxing properties.
- Valerian. It contains iridoids and valerenic acids known for their properties in maintaining quality sleep.
Gentle Methods to Heal the Body and Mind
Acting on both the body and the mind, both of which are battered by endometriosis, so-called "gentle" methods provide significant support in pain management. Indeed, endometriosis pain is not explained by a single mechanism but by three: physiological, bodily, and psychic, and it is important to act on all fronts.
Osteopathy and more particularly fasciatherapy revitalize blood circulation and relieve ligament tensions. Through gentle manipulations focused on the pelvic region, these techniques restore mobility to internal tissues. It thus acts on the digestive, vaginal, uterine systems, and even the lumbar region.
Mesotherapy, where the practice also focuses on the pelvic region, acts on small nerves and relaxes muscles, making them less painful.
While the benefits of these two methods are almost immediate, the challenge is to make them last. To do this, it is recommended to practice sports regularly: yoga, swimming, running... no activity is to be avoided.
Hypnotherapy helps recondition the brain to respond to pain with the least painful response possible.
Meditation is equally effective in helping manage pain and learning to live with it.
Sophrology, on the other hand, plays on the mind but also on the body by helping women relax and allowing them to better understand and manage possible stress.
Let's remember: suffering during menstruation to the point of having to stay home is not normal, and because of the preconceptions weighing on women's health, endometriosis remains under-diagnosed and poorly managed. In the presence of symptoms of this disease, it is important to consult in order to limit complications and to implement appropriate support.