Integrative medical management of endometriosis
May 9, 2023
Some complementary therapies have benefits, particularly in improving pelvic pain associated with endometriosis.
Key Points
Highlights:
- Dr. Pinar Kodaman, Assoc. Professor of Clinical ObGyn and Reproductive Sciences at the Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, USA, presented her lecture at the Annual International Medical Conference of the Endometriosis Foundation of America held in New York on April 1-2, 2023.
- Complementary therapies help the holistic management of endometriosis as a chronic disease.
Importance:
- A multidisciplinary and individualized approach is essential in the treatment of chronic diseases.
What's done here:
- Dr. Kodaman talked about the usefulness of complementary therapeutic methods currently being applied to endometriotic women, as well as surgery and medical treatments.
Outlines:
- A diet low in red meat and adequate dietary intake is remarkable to decrease the risk of endometriosis.
- Exercising regularly seems to help reduce pelvic pain associated with endometriosis.
- The benefit of acupuncture is to reduce chronic pelvic pain and decrease the inflammatory process.
- For pelvic floor dysfunction, physical therapy shows promise.
- Some supplements, especially Vitamin D and resveratrol, also helped to improve chronic pelvic pain.
- Psychological treatments help to cope with stress and anxiety.
Lay Summary
This lecture entitled "Integrative Medical Management of Endometriosis" was presented by Dr. Pinar Kodaman, Director of the endoscopic reproductive surgery program and Assoc. Professor of Clinical ObGyn and Reproductive Sciences at the Yale School of Medicine.
In addition to surgery which plays a major role in the treatment of endometriosis, and medical treatments that relieve the patient's symptoms, a wide variety of benefits are provided by complementary therapies.
The complementary therapies that offer benefits for endometriotic patients are dietary modifications, exercise, acupuncture, physical therapy, some supplements, and psychological interventions. Vitamin D supplementation has a potential role in improving pelvic pain-associated endometriosis. Vitamin D binding Vitamin D receptors act as a transcription factor and are normally present in ectopic endometrium.
Another supplement, Resveratrol, is promising for decreasing dysmenorrhea and pelvic pain. Quercetin, found in foods such as onions, cauliflower, apple skin, lettuce, and chili pepper, is promising for relieving endometriotic symptoms due to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Psychological interventions that improve endometriotic symptoms are hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, progressive muscular relaxation, and hatha yoga.
This lecture was a part of the Annual International Medical Conference of the Endometriosis Foundation of America held in New York on April 1-2, 2023.
Research Source: Integrative medical management of endometriosis - Pinar Kodaman, MD, PhD
surgery medical treatment fertility treatment complemantary therapies execise diet pyschological therapy acupuncture vit D dysmenotrthea pelvic pain resveratrol stress anxiety
