Chinese Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture Are Ideal Ways For Curing Endometriosis
For followers and practitioners of acupuncture, the condition of endometriosis is just another health issue to deal with and heal. Scientists, however, have a different way of looking at this treatment. They consider acupuncture as merely a pacifier or a way to trick the mind that a health condition is being cured. They explain that women suffering from endometriosis may see positive outcomes from the treatment because of the optimism that a possible cure can bring.
Can Acupuncture Really Treat Endometriosis?
To determine whether or not a link in the relief of endometriosis symptoms and acupuncture exists, we need to understand what the fundamental principles of acupuncture are.
Acupuncture is an important part of TCM or Traditional Chinese Medicine that works with a life force known as chi existing in each individual.
The normal unimpeded flow of chi in the body of a person means that the person enjoys good health and can put him/her in tune with his/her environment. A blockage or disruption in this flow in our body or in nature will lead to sickness and destruction.
TCM corrects this problem by using modalities such as acupuncture to restore the proper flow of chi which results in the bringing of pain relief and the reversal of sickness in the person. Acupuncture achieves this with the use of filiform needles that are stuck into specific points in the body known as acupoints where the flow of chi can travel undisturbed.
If the balance of chi is brought back, the process of self-healing can commence. This outcome is quite attractive to the Western World and because it really works, it can be used to help a person to think better, relax and lead a healthy happy life. Acupuncture is now a very popular form of alternative treatment in the United States and Europe.
It helps to know how endometriosis develops in order to better understand how acupuncture can cure this condition.
During the menstrual cycle of a female, her uterus develops an inner lining known as the endometrium. This lining is where the fetus attaches itself after successful conception. If the fertilization process does not occur, the endometrium lining will be eliminated from the body through menstruation.
However, there are instances when the endometrium goes to other parts of the body, resulting in the disruption of certain body functions, scarring, and internal bleeding. This condition is known as endometriosis and females who have this usually experience progressive and intense body pain.
The way physicians address this is by controlling the patient’s estrogen levels, or by prescription painkillers to help the patient deal with the pain caused by the disease. One other treatment alternative option for endometriosis is surgery. Surgery removes the misplaced endometrial tissue and adhesions and scarring.
A lot of times however, these Western conventional treatment provide inadequate symptomatic relief forcing a number of sufferers to turn to alternative therapies to either complement the conventional treatments or to use these alternative treatments as a standalone option for curing endometriosis.
When the patient first comes in for acupuncture treatment, the practitioner will ask the patient a number of questions regarding certain aspects about her life and her menstrual cycle. Each patient is treated in a different way and the acupoints selected for treatment will differ from person to person. However, the most common acupoints selected by acupuncturists are located on the legs, stomach, back, ears, and neck.
Chinese herbal medicine is also used alongside acupuncture in treating endometriosis. Herbal remedies are formulated based on the patient’s needs and act in conjunction with the acupoints chosen.
The inserted needles re-channel the flow of chi which helps the patient feel stronger and better giving her body the ability to overcome endometriosis. This means that acupuncture does not cure endometriosis per se but aids the body in curing the condition by itself.
Experts believe that acupuncture helps in a number of ways. It relieves the symptoms of discomfort and pain by releasing endorphins in the body and makes it easier for the female to relax. Acupuncture also boosts the circulation to the stomach thus helping promote healing.
If you have endometriosis and are interested in getting acupuncture for the relief of your symptoms, you need to talk to your doctor first and ask him/her about acupuncture and other available treatments that can be good for you. If your doctor gives you the go ahead for acupuncture, you need to look for a licensed acupuncturist in your area.