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The Official Website of  Natural Treatment for Infertility caused by EndometriosisIt IS possible to overcome infertility and pain caused by endometriosis. The natural endometriosis treatments we develop for our patients help to relieve the painful symptoms and infertility caused by endometriosis, and can completely resolve the source of the endometriosis as well – without drugs or surgery. Learn More about Endometriosis: Causes | Diagnosis | Signs | Symptoms | Natural Treatment Endometriosis | FAQ | IVF & Endometriosis? | Meditation & Visualization | Endometriosis Studies Endometriosis defined Endometriosis is described as the abnormal growth of endometrial tissue outside the endometrium. Endometrial cells are found in the uterine lining. Triggered by estrogen, each month these cells proliferate and thicken, preparing for the possible arrival of a fertilized egg – what they were made to do. Progesterone continues the process, triggering small blood vessels in the uterus to supply the endometrial cells with more blood. When fertilization and implantation don’t occur, enzymes liquefy the endometrial cells, and the cellular matter flows out of the uterus along with the blood that has been feeding the uterine lining. Endometriosis is classified according to its severity—mild (small, flat patches of endometrial tissue growing outside the uterine lining), moderate (larger, often somewhat raised implants), or severe (inflammation and scarring caused by the unabsorbed blood can create bands of fibrous scar tissue - adhesions - that bind pelvic organs together). However, the classification does not seem to directly impact fertility. Symptoms of endometriosis include painful periods (women with endometriosis have higher levels of prostaglandins, one of the triggers of menstrual pain), pathological uterine bleeding, and bleeding at sites other than the endometrium during menstruation (sometimes as distant as the nasal cavity). Other symptoms include back pain or severe abdominal cramping during menstruation, painful intercourse, painful intestinal upset or urination during menstruation, and, of course, infertility. In some cases, the high levels of pain caused by endometriosis can deplete a woman’s energy and cause depression and anxiety. However, there may be no symptoms at all associated with the condition. Around 40 percent of women diagnosed with endometriosis report no symptoms other than infertility. When someone experiences the painful reaction to endometrial tissue outside its usual home, the normal process of bleeding seems to be thwarted. In endometriosis, the endometrial cells somehow migrate and implant in areas outside the uterus. Common sites of implantation include the cervix, the vaginal-rectal space, the ovary, the fallopian tubes, the colon, and the bladder wall. Endometrial cells also have been found in the abdominal wall muscles, the lungs, the nose, even the brain.
Endometriosis was first identified by Western medicine in 1860. One hundred years later, in 1960, the condition was first seen and described through the invention and use of the laparoscope. Today, diagnosis is usually accomplished through laparoscopic surgery, with vaginal ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI used to confirm the extent of the condition. Endometriosis affects millions of women, and while it is most commonly diagnosed in women between thirty and forty years of age, it can begin as early as the teenage years. Chinese medicine looks at how the body responds to the inflammatory reaction the body mounts to the endometrial cells outside the uterus. We view the process of endometriosis as inhibited, stagnated uterine blood that doesn’t flow freely. The menstruate has become blocked and the normal reproductive cycle is therefore obstructed. Menstrual pain is a major feature, but not all women with endometriosis experience pain. Pain on intercourse is also common. Women with endometriosis often experience a sediment-like menstrual flow with dark brown, clotted blood that has been allowed to oxidize. Sometimes the immune system will react to this old blood, recognizing its toxic state and mounting chemicals to clean up this debris. Natural treatment for Endometriosis The Fertile Soul Method ™ seeks to resolve the source of the endometriosis by allowing the uterine lining to be properly released so that the menstrual blood may flow with ease, and halt the inflammatory reaction that keeps a woman’s body in a toxic state. We accomplish this revolutionary process of resolving the underlying cause of the endometriosis with:
When we address the underlying cause, the body's reaction to the endometriosis calms down. It isn't until the endometriosis’ inflammatory reaction is soothed that the body will accept a pregnancy, no matter how it is attempted - naturally, with hormonal intervention, or with IVF. Implantation will not occur until the woman's body allows it. By following your customized plan for resolution of endometriosis and any other deficiencies and imbalances, the Fertility Enhancing Retreat process will begin the healing process necessary for the resolution of endometriosis. How does The Fertile Soul Method (TM) go further to treat endometriosis? Why a fertility retreat? Learn More about The Fertile Method ™ Learn more about Fertility Enhancing Retreats.
"Does endometriosis make me infertile or can I become pregnant with endometriosis?" Western science is somewhat at a loss when it comes to understanding why women with endometriosis have fertility problems. Certainly, the scarring and adhesions associated with severe endometriosis can obstruct the path of the egg to the uterus, but women with milder cases can suffer impaired fertility as well. It is possible that dysfunction in the ovary or the hormonal issues that produce luteal phase defect cause problems that lead to endometriosis. (Approximately 27 percent of women with mild endometriosis also have ovulatory dysfunction or luteal phase defect.) Another theory holds that endometrial implants secrete prostaglandins, which can cause muscle spasms in the reproductive organs and hinder their proper functioning. It’s even possible that endometriosis is yet another autoimmune disease. Some women who are diagnosed with endometriosis have high levels of antiphospholipid antibodies, which are associated with recurrent miscarriage. Endometriosis creates an inflammatory reaction in the body, in response to the endometrial tissue growing outside its original intended site. In an attempt to "clean up" this tissue, the immune system then is reprogrammed to react to all endometrial cells as if they were not part of the body. This reaction can cause the endometrial cells in the uterus not to produce the protein marker (beta-integrin 3) needed to encourage a fertilized egg to implant. It can also cause the endometrial glands to fail to respond to the progesterone produced during the luteal phase of the reproductive cycle. "My doctor wants to do another surgery followed by lupron treatment for my endometriosis. Should I?" Regardless of the cause of endometriosis, current Western medical treatment for the condition can be risky when it comes to fertility. Usually, pain-relieving medication is prescribed to mitigate discomfort, and then either surgery or hormone-controlling drugs are administered to remove the excess endometrial tissue. With surgery, the endometrial growths are excised or burned off with a laser. In severe cases (many growths or extensive adhesions), major surgery may be required, after which fertility may or may not be restored. Hormonal treatments like birth control pills, testosterone-enhancing or menopause inducing drugs are sometimes prescribed to halt menstruation altogether, the theory being that as menstruation ceases each month, the misplaced endometrial tissue will be "starved" to death. Of course, ovulation is also halted in the process. In addition, the masculinizing side effects of increased testosterone are very difficult for women to endure. Even if the displaced endometrial tissue has been surgically removed, the toxic effects may remain. The lingering presence of endometrial cells can continue to contaminate the fallopian tubes, affecting the egg’s ability to become fertilized as it travels toward the uterus. If tests reveal inflammation due to endometriosis, the only Western treatment is to use GnRH agonists like Lupron. These drugs are designed to inhibit the release of pituitary hormones, which then don’t stimulate the ovaries to produce their hormones, thus depriving the endometrium of hormonal stimulus. A course of Lupron is often followed quickly with an IVF procedure in hopes that the endometrium cooperates and an embryo can implant. However, GnRH agonists can cause unpleasant menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, and general irritability. And of course the underlying inflammation caused by the endometrial disorder has not really been addressed. "How does Chinese medicine differ in its treatment of endometriosis?" While endometriosis is not a disease category in traditional Chinese medicine, Eastern healers have recognized this disease for far longer than Western medicine. In TCM, endometriosis is known by its symptoms and is referred to as "menstrual movement pain." Just as Western medicine believes retrograde menstruation is created by pelvic and uterine anomalies including cervical stenosis (where the cervical canal doesn’t open), congenital pelvic defects would be characterized as a general Kidney deficiency in TCM. Kidney deficiency is commonly diagnosed in conjunction with Blood stasis (Bl X) in women with endometriosis. Chinese medicine categorizes endometrial lesions as static Blood, or Blood that is not flowing as it should and thus is causing problems. However, since the compromised Blood is located in a vicinity where normal blood flow is often absent or minimal, our body has a tougher time resolving it. This static Blood may also trigger an inappropriate immune system response to the endometrial cells growing outside the uterus. If the immune system detects endometrial cells in the wrong place, an inflammatory reaction is mounted to protect the rest of the body from this perceived "invader." When the immune system is unable to eradicate the misplaced tissue, it reacts to all endometrial tissue, creating a toxic environment for an implanting embryo. Learn more about actual Endometriosis Studies concerning the application of Western vs. Eastern treatments. "Should I do an IVF if I have endometriosis?" Women with severe adhesions blocking the release of the egg or its entrance through the fallopian tubes or into the uterus can sometimes benefit from reproductive intervention to bypass mechanical obstructions. However, further hormonal therapy can also feed the endometriosis inflammatory reaction. In my experience, the reactive process to endometriosis can inhibit all aspects of the reproductive process, but it especially hinders implantation, and reproductive endocrinology does not effectively address implantation with hormonal therapy. I have seen women with endometriosis go through multiple IVFs and have a beautiful response up to the time the eggs show up in the laboratory. However, after they have been fertilized and placed back within her, the reaction mounts and the embryos are rejected – just as they were every single month before the IVF. However, now there is more estrogen and other hormones to exacerbate the mounting inflammatory reaction. And when the body is in fight mode, it cannot be in receptive mode at the same time. Even a perfect embryo will not implant in a reactive uterus. So rarely do I encourage women with endometriosis to receive further insults via hormonal stimulation during an IUI or IVF. "Can lifestyle changes affect my endometriosis?" I encourage women with endometriosis to eat an organic, macrobiotic-type diet, free of dairy, wheat, and most animal products to calm the immune system. I discourage the use of tampons or any form of obstruction to the menstrual flow. I also have her supplement with flaxseed, evening primrose or fish oil, and take bioflavonoids like pycnogenol, a super-antioxidant helpful in muting immune responses. I then prescribe an herbal formula to clear internal Blood heat (the Chinese term for an immunologic response), and calm the uterus with acupuncture. Within a few months’ time, pregnancy usually will occur naturally. Sometimes the body responds immediately; other times it has taken up to eight months for some of my patients to conceive after beginning treatments. Endometriosis also is related to hormonal imbalances such as estrogen dominance. Estrogen feeds endometriosis; it is therefore important to help the body clear itself of excess estrogen. Since the liver metabolizes estrogen, using methods that resolve Liver Qi stagnation will assist the body in clearing excess amounts of the hormone. To resolve Liver Qi stagnation, you can stimulate the acupuncture points Lv 2, Lv 3, and Lv 14 (See "The Infertility Cure" by Dr. Randine Lewis for further instructions.)
If you have endometriosis and are undergoing an IVF, make sure you are taking natural anti-inflammatory substances such as vitamin C, E, A, B12, zinc, selenium, pycnogenol, Wobenzym, and omega-3 fatty acids like those found in deep sea fish oil. Use castor oil massage during your period before the hormonally stimulated cycle, and try to avoid using tampons Meditation and Visualization for Blood Stasis in the Uterus These exercises can help clear Blood stasis in the uterus and thus eliminate the underlying imbalance creating endometriosis and fibroids. Do these exercises at the times and in the manner indicated. Exercise 1: For the Follicular Phase Perform this exercise daily, between the first day of menstruation until ovulation only. Step 1. Lay down, on your back, with your eyes closed. Relax and breathe deeply. Notice any areas of tension you feel in your body from your head to your neck, down your arms and hands, through your torso, down your abdomen, buttocks, thighs, calves, and feet. Tense the tight areas in your body even more, one by one. Breathe in, inhaling deeply down into your lower abdomen. Push your diaphragm down and stomach out as you breathe in. Focus your attention on the tension in your body, then tighten the muscles in the area even more, and relax them fully as you exhale. Exhale completely, deflating your abdomen when you breathe out. Release the tension in your body through the breath. Keep your focus on the tension, the breath, and the relaxation—nothing more. When the tension in that particular part of your body is gone, move on to the next part. When you feel relaxed throughout your body and your mind is clear, begin the visualization. Continue the deep breathing exercise, breathing deep into your abdomen and relaxing with each exhalation. Step 2. Now focus the breath down into the pelvis. Breathe into your uterus. Let the uterus draw in the breath itself. Let the breath be cleansing. The uterus has one energetic direction: it is downward. It takes the Blood and the breath in through the top and lets it flow downward and out through the bottom. Think of the uterus as a receptive, sponge-like organ. It draws in Blood and energy through the breath to prepare a garden-like home for implantation. Picture a lush, green, mossy garden. With every breath in, you bring purifying energy in through the top of the uterus. With every exhalation, breathe out any impurities downward through the bottom of the uterus. Any pain, any toxins, any impurities are released downward, with each breath. You are helping to prepare these luxurious surroundings for implantation. This is a pure, flourishing, abundant home. It is open, receptive, and fertile. It cannot afford to foster toxins, so release them. When your uterus feels pure, open, and receptive, you are finished. Exercise 2: For the Luteal Phase Perform the Qi Gong breathing exercise described below: Put the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, just behind the top front teeth. Breathe in through your nose, very deeply, and concentrate on bringing your breath from your nose and down the midline of your body, between the breasts, down the abdomen, and eventually focusing your breath down in the pelvis where you envision your uterus to be. Let the breath energy pool here. Push out your belly as you inhale. During exhalation, let the focus of your attention travel from the tip of the coccyx up the spine to the top of the head, then down the midline of the head and out the nose. Repeat the breath movements until they become one smooth, continuous movement. Focus your attention on the lifting energies, and as you exhale, feel a sense of release, surrender, and letting go. Know that you cannot control implantation, you can only allow your body to do what it was meant to do. As you feel the lift, release all desires, attachments, worries and fear. Feel yourself free of obstructions; open and receptive. Practice this meditation and visualization from ovulation until menstruation begins. Then quit during menstruation. For conception to occur, all the energies of the body must be free-flowing and moving, like water in the river that brings life to the land through which it passes. Fibroids and endometrial growths are like rocks in that river, preventing the embryo from mooring safely within the walls of your womb. By eliminating Blood stasis, balancing the body’s other energies, and softening the concretions within your reproductive organs, you can restore the flow of the "river of life" through you, and provide a clean, clear harbor for your unborn child. Learn More about The Fertile Method ™ Learn more about Fertility Enhancing Retreats. |
These misplaced endometrial cells respond to the hormonal stimuli of estrogen and progesterone just like the endometrium is supposed to: that is, they bleed during menstruation. But there is no way for this blood to leave the body, so it stagnates in the site of the endometrial implantation, causing inflammation and possible scarring of surrounding tissue. This causes the process known as endometriosis. Modern science does not know why endometrial cells migrate elsewhere, although several ideas are currently being investigated. One theory as to what causes endometriosis is retrograde menstruation. When a woman is supposed to menstruate, the blood should be discharged through the cervix. However, sometimes it can seep back up through the fallopian tubes and flow into the abdominal cavity. Endometrial cells in the menstrual blood then can attach to sites in the abdominal cavity outside the uterus. Western medicine theorizes that anatomic abnormalities such as a retroverted uterus or a smaller than usual cervical opening (which does not allow the blood to pass through freely) cause menstrual blood to back up into other areas of the pelvis. However, many women have some degree of retrograde menstruation or anatomic abnormality and still do not have endometriosis. Some researchers believe that endometrial cells are transported through the blood and lymph systems to different sites in the body. Others theorize that embryonic cells outside of the uterus are transformed by some unknown stimulus into endometrial cells. It is clear there is a lack of consensus on the cause of endometriosis.