Alleviate Endometriosis Pain
If you found your way to this blog, I assume it's because you or someone you care about is living with endometriosis-related pain.
First, I'm so sorry. Endometriosis pain can be frustrating, exhausting, and often feel like you're constantly searching for something that actually helps.
My goal with this blog is to walk you through practical ideas that you can start implementing at home to help alleviate endometriosis-related pain. Some may work well for you, some may not, but my hope is that you leave this blog with a few new tools to add to your toolbox.
So let's pretend we're sitting at a coffee shop. I'm drinking my favorite iced latte with whole milk and honey, and you're enjoying your drink of choice. We're just having a conversation about endometriosis, what's happening in your body, and some practical ways to help you feel better.
What Is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is an inflammatory condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) grows outside of the uterus. The uterus has three layers: the endometrium (the inner lining), the myometrium (the muscle layer), and the serosa (the outer layer). With endometriosis, tissue that resembles the endometrium is found outside of those layers.
The hallmark symptom of endometriosis is excruciatingly painful periods, although it's important to know that not everyone with endometriosis experiences severe period pain.
For many women, the pain is much more than "bad cramps." It can be severe enough that they miss school, work, exercise, social events, hobbies, and other activities they enjoy because the pain is simply too overwhelming to push through.
Common Symptoms of Endometriosis
The most common symptom of endometriosis is excruciatingly painful periods. While not everyone with endometriosis experiences severe period pain, it's often the symptom that brings women to seek answers.
One of the very first questions I ask when someone tells me they have painful periods is, "Do you have pain with bowel movements during your menstrual cycle?" In my experience, pain with bowel movements on your period is one of the biggest red flags for endometriosis.
Other common symptoms include:
Pain with bowel movements during your menstrual cycle
Pain with intercourse
Heavy periods
Chronic pelvic pain, even outside of your menstrual cycle
Bloating
Frequent diarrhea
Sleep disturbances
Fatigue
If you're experiencing several of these symptoms together, it's worth bringing them up with your healthcare provider. Your symptoms deserve to be taken seriously.
Ways to Help Alleviate Endometriosis Pain
While there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution for endometriosis pain, there are several things that I routinely recommend to my patients that can help make symptoms more manageable.
1. Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
My number one recommendation is in-person pelvic floor physical therapy.
If you're local to Northeast Texas, I'd love to help you at Texas Pelvic Health. If you're not local, I would encourage you to find a pelvic floor physical therapist near you. It can truly be a game changer for managing endometriosis-related pain.
2. Use an Electrical Stimulation (E-STIM) Unit
Using an E-STIM unit on your low back or lower abdomen can be a helpful tool for pain management. Many of my patients find it provides relief during pain flares and can be an easy option to use at home.
3. Apply Heat
Heat is one of my favorite recommendations because it's simple and accessible.
An electric heating pad works great at home, but if you need to be up and moving around, adhesive heating patches are another excellent option. They were originally designed for things like low back pain, but they can easily be applied over the lower abdomen and make it much easier to continue with your day while still getting some pain relief.
4. Try Gentle Abdominal Cupping
Another option that many of my patients love is gentle abdominal cupping.
I'm not talking about the large stationary cups you may have seen athletes like Michael Phelps use. Instead, I'm referring to gentle slide cupping over the lower abdomen. It feels much more gentle and, for many women, can be a game changer for managing pain.
5. Keep Your Pelvis Moving
Gentle yoga and pelvic mobility exercises can also be helpful. Improving mobility through the abdomen and pelvis helps encourage blood flow to the area, and many women notice this helps decrease pain and stiffness.
6. Focus on an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Because endometriosis is an inflammatory condition, nutrition matters.
One of the biggest things I recommend is reducing highly processed foods. If changing your entire diet feels overwhelming, start small. I often encourage women to be especially intentional about eating an anti-inflammatory diet during the week leading up to their period, when symptoms often begin to ramp up.
Lifestyle Changes That May Provide Relief
In addition to the strategies above, there are a few lifestyle habits that I consistently emphasize with my patients. These aren't quick fixes, but over time they can make a meaningful difference in how you feel.
Prioritize Sleep
One of the first things I ask about is sleep—both the quality and the quantity.
Sleep is when your body heals and repairs. Don't underestimate the impact that getting good, consistent sleep can have on your recovery and overall well-being.
Continue Strength Training and Exercise
Strength training and regular exercise are another important part of the conversation.
While the research doesn't demonstrate that strength training directly alleviates endometriosis pain, it has been shown to improve quality of life for women with pelvic pain one year after stopping a strength training program. That's a pretty powerful reason to keep moving.
Improve Your Bowel Habits
Because bloating and gastrointestinal symptoms are so common with endometriosis, I'm almost always talking with my patients about improving their bowel habits.
Some of my favorite recommendations include:
Drinking adequate water throughout the day
Taking magnesium in the evenings
Using a Squatty Potty or stool under your feet when having a bowel movement
Avoiding straining during bowel movements
Performing gentle abdominal massage to help stimulate bowel movements
Eating a diet that's high in fiber
The goal is to avoid constipation whenever possible. Healthier bowel habits often lead to less irritation in the pelvis, which can have a positive effect on your overall pelvic pain.
Medical Treatment Options
There are several medical treatment options available for endometriosis, and the right one depends on your symptoms, your goals, and whether you're hoping to have children in the future.
Excision Surgery
The gold standard treatment for endometriosis is excision surgery performed by an endometriosis excision specialist.
One important thing to know is that there are very few endometriosis excision specialists in the United States. If you're considering surgery, it's worth asking whether your surgeon specializes specifically in endometriosis excision.
Hormonal Medications
Birth control is commonly used to help suppress and manage endometriosis symptoms. For many women, this can provide enough symptom relief to allow them to return to school, work, exercise, and other activities of daily living.
Anti-Inflammatory Medications
Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are another commonly used option to help manage pain, particularly during symptom flares.
Hysterectomy
For some women who have completed childbearing, a hysterectomy may be considered as part of their treatment plan. Because a hysterectomy is not compatible with future pregnancy, it is generally not an option for women who are still hoping to have children.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
If your period pain is severe enough that it keeps you from participating in the things you love—whether that's work, school, exercise, hobbies, or spending time with family and friends—it's time to see a healthcare provider.
I would also encourage you to seek an evaluation if you're experiencing any of the other common symptoms we discussed above, including pain with bowel movements during your menstrual cycle, pain with intercourse, heavy periods, chronic pelvic pain, bloating, frequent diarrhea, sleep disturbances, or fatigue.
Most importantly, don't settle if you feel like your concerns aren't being heard.
If your current provider dismisses your symptoms or tells you that your pain is "just part of being a woman," I encourage you to keep advocating for yourself. Seek another opinion until you receive the evaluation and treatment that you deserve.
Next steps:
If you're living with endometriosis or suspected endometriosis, please know that there is help, and you don't have to just live with it.
If you're looking for more individualized guidance, that's exactly why Jordan and I created The Cycle Script Analysis + Action Plan.
We created The Cycle Script because so many women are told, "It's just part of being a woman," or are given the same recommendations without anyone taking the time to thoroughly review their menstrual cycle, lifestyle, medications, supplements, laboratory work, and overall health.
When you work with us, you'll first complete our comprehensive intake forms. We carefully review everything you submit, and then a pharmacist and a pelvic floor physical therapist (who is also a Pelvic Rehab Fertility Specialist) work together to create your personalized action plan.
Your action plan includes individualized nutrition recommendations, a strength training and movement plan, a deeper review of your menstrual cycle and laboratory work, a medication review, a supplement review, and personalized recommendations based on your unique symptoms, stage of life, and goals.
Whether your goal is reducing pain, improving your overall health, preparing for pregnancy in the future, or simply understanding your body better, we'd love to help.
You can learn more about The Cycle Script Analysis + Action Plan and sign up here.
