Endometriosis involves the growth of cells from the endometrium (the uterus lining) in other areas of your abdomen. About 12 million American women report having this condition-- that’s 10-20 percent of the female population.

Endometriosis begins with a backup of endometrial tissue that builds up throughout the month during a regular menstrual cycle. The cause of this tissue backup is still unknown. Instead of flowing out of the uterus, some of the tissue moves back up through the fallopian tubes (which transport ovulated eggs) and falls out into the abdominal cavity. These living cells are often called implants, and continue to respond to cyclical hormonal changes. They grow, build up, and bleed, just like they did before in the uterus, except there’s nowhere for the blood to go. The blood can be absorbed slowly by the lining of the abdomen, but the remaining buildup of weblike tissue and blood clots cause the scarring and adhesions that can affect your fallopian tubes, ovaries, bladder, or bowel. A conventional Western doctor usually diagnoses endometriosis with laparoscopy, an outpatient surgical procedure that allows the doctor to examine your internal abdominal structures.

A laparoscopy is an outpatient surgical procedure most commonly used to diagnose endometriosis. A tiny, lighted tube is inserted through a small incision in the navel, so that your surgeon can look inside the abdominal cavity.

Endometriosis Risks and Symptoms:  Could This Be You?

While the causes of endometriosis is still unclear, here is a valuable list of the current medical thoughts on the condition:

• Deficiency in the immune system
• Family history of endometriosis
• Menstrual cycle length of 27 days or less
• Early onset of menstruation
• Periods lasting seven or more days
• Reported mostly by women who have never been pregnant

The symptoms of endometriosis can be difficult to evaluate. In the beginning, many women do not have any symptoms. Others who have severe buildup of tissue have no pain, while some women with only small adhesions have disabling discomfort. Although endometriosis is usually diagnosed between the ages of 25 and 35, the condition could begin about the same time that menstruation starts. Many of these symptoms are frequently ignored or thought of as a normal part of the cycle. Have a conversation with your health care provider if you experience any of these symptoms:

• Increasingly painful periods
• Severe pelvic cramps or abdominal pain one to two weeks
• before the menstrual period
• More frequent or irregular menses
• Pelvic or low-back pain felt at any time during the cycle
• Pain during or following sexual intercourse
• Pain with bowel movements
• Infertility (approximately 25-50 percent of these cases are due to endometriosis)

From a Chinese medicine perspective, we work to restore a pain-free natural menstrual state. Each symptom of the disorder is addressed whether it is pain, dark and clotted menstrual blood or excess estrogen imbalance causing heightened feelings of PMS. Both acupuncture and herbs can work to reduce the pain, breakup the old stagnated blood and encourage fresh red flow and promote hormonal balance. Reestablishing proper estrogen/progesterone ratios is essential to healing from this condition and acupuncture works to this effect. A woman with mild endometrial symptoms may be able to use Chinese medicine alone to heal naturally from the effects of endometriosis. More severe cases need to employ the use of both western medicine and Chinese medicine to have the best prognosis for long-term cessation of symptoms.