Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a disease in which the tissue that normally lines the uterus (the endometrium) grows outside the uterus and adheres to various pelvic organs such as the ovaries, intestine, rectum, bladder...

This poorly positioned endometrial tissue responds to the interaction with hormones during the menstrual cycle, causing bleeding and tissue detachment in the different places where it is implanted.

Endometriosis causes pseudocysts and pelvic or abdominal pain. Current treatments consist of hormonal inhibition and surgery, but the former cause significant side effects and with surgery the implants reappear in approximately 50% of cases after 5 years. On the other hand, hormone therapy affects fertility.

All of this has led research to be directed towards traditional Chinese medicine for its treatment, with very good results being observed. Currently we have studies with acupuncture for endometriosis, studies with formulas of Chinese plants and studies combining acupuncture with Chinese silver formulas. The studies where acupuncture is combined with Chinese plant formulas are those that offer the best results.

Traditional Chinese medicine can reduce cysts, relieve dysmenorrhea (or pain with menstruation), chronic pelvic pain, and inhibit postoperative recurrence. Furthermore, treatment with acupuncture and Chinese plant formulas is very well tolerated and has no side effects.

25% to 50% of women with endometriosis have infertility and often require assisted reproductive techniques.

Researchers from Peking University published a study in 2020 demonstrating a significant increase in the pregnancy rate after surgical intervention for endometriosis. The pregnancy rate was 44.6% in the group treated with Chinese medicine and 29.7% in the group that did not receive treatment after surgery.

Patients who were treated with Chinese medicine received one herbal formula for two weeks before ovulation and another formula for two weeks after ovulation. Treatment continued for 6 months.

intravenous vitamin C has also been shown to be effective in reducing the number of endometrial implants, as well as reducing the size of the implants.

Studies on the treatment of endometriosis with Chinese medicine.

• Zhao Rui-hua et al. (2020). Chinese Medicine in Management of Chronic Disease Endometriosis. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine volume 26, pages88–91. doi.org/10.1007/s11655-018-2937-3.
• LIU Yong et al. (2020). Chinese Medicine Sequential Therapy Improves Pregnancy Outcomes after Surgery for Endometriosis-Associated Infertility: A Multicenter Randomized Double-blind Placebo Parallel Controlled Clinical Trial. J Integr Med. 2020 Feb;26(2):92-99. doi:10.1007/s11655-019-3208-2.
• Dong, Shuangqian et al. (2019) “Comparative efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese patent medicine for endometriosis: A Bayesian network meta-analysis protocol.” Medicine vol. 98.29 (2019): e16473. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000016473

Studies on treatment of endometriosis with intravenous vitamin C

• Ozlem Ulas Erten et al.(2016). Vitamin C is effective for the prevention and regression of endometriotic implants in an experimentally induced rat model of endometriosis. Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 55 (2016) 251e257. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tjog.2015.07.004.