6 Alternative Methods for Alleviating Endometriosis Pain

What is Endometriosis?

 

Endometriosis is a painful disorder where tissue grows outside your uterus (similar to the tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus). Endometriosis commonly affects your ovaries, fallopian tubes and the tissue lining your pelvis. Endometriosis can also be found in any part of the body, but we are going to specifically suggest some ideas to help with endometriosis in the pelvic region.

The tissue growing outside of the uterus acts in the same way it would if it was inside the uterus. Meaning it thickens, sheds, and causes you to bleed each menstrual cycle. It causes pain because it is trapped within the body and has no way of exiting (because it isn’t inside the uterus to exit through the cervix and vagina).

If this tissue has formed around the ovaries or fallopian tubes, it can cause cysts which lead to irritation, scar tissue & even cause tissues and organs to stick together.  

It’s a hidden disease that affects over 11% of Australian’s and commonly it can take years or even decades for their cries to be heard and to receive a diagnosis.

 

So, what can you do to help alleviate the pain? Here are our 4 best tips!

 

1. Using a yoni egg to enhance your pelvic floor health 

Using a small crystal Yoni Egg can help with strengthening and toning but also softening and relaxing your pelvic floor muscles. The stone eggs can increase blood flow to your vagina and can massage the labia, perineum and your inner walls which can help relieve inflammation internally.

Our best recommendations would be the Red Carnelian crystal as it is a Sacral Chakra stone and great for healing any trauma in the womb space, as well as the Nephrite Jade crystal being the master healer stone. The crystals from mother earth have their own healing benefits spiritually and energetically which you can tap into. 

Only use for short periods of time with Endometriosis and we don't suggest using at the time of severe pain.

 

      2. How heat can relieve you from your endometriosis pain?

At the time of your bleed (or all year round with endometriosis), you may feel bloating & cramping whilst internally your organs are inflamed. You could try taking a warm bath or shower or you can use our Womb Heat Wrap which can tie around your body and provide immense comfort, warmth, and support for your womb.

Heat naturally helps alleviate pain as it relaxes your muscles, improves blood flow & circulation, increases muscle flexibility & alters your perception of pain.

Our Womb Heat Wraps are ultra-comfortable, hands-free, flaxseed heat packs specifically designed for wrapping around the lower back & lower belly. The flaxseed heating up permeates throughout the wrap and through the skin to provide that warm heat to help control the pain of endometriosis. They are available in our shop for $69.95 AUD. 

 

      3. Consuming anti-inflammatory foods & drinks to reduce endometriosis pain

It won’t necessarily help with instant pain relief, but consuming anti-inflammatory foods and drinks year-round, can help reduce the pain when you bleed. Increasing Green Tea & Turmeric (amongst other anti-inflammatory foods) are great options and ways to assist you long term with endometriosis.

Healthline also suggest adding fibrous foods, iron-rich foods, foods rich in essential fatty acids & antioxidant-rich foods to your diet to help fight inflammation & pain.

 

      4. How yoni steaming helps endometriosis:

Yoni Steams work by applying gentle heat and moisture that carries essential herb oils to the exterior tissues of the vagina and perineum area. This ancient practice has been used around the world by different cultures to help naturally treat many genital, menstrual and reproductive issues. People have found using a yoni steam pre & post bleed to help reduce the inflammation and the pain.

For a step by step guide on 'How to Yoni Steam' check our founder Rosie Rees blog here for everything you need to know. 

You can purchase our Yoni Steam botanical blend in our store for $38 AUD. 

 

      5. Using a TENS machine for your womb space

There are many TENS machines on the market but one that is designed specifically for your pelvic area is a great choice in our opinion - watch this space ;)

A TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) machine provides painless electro currents that feel like gentle buzzing pulses to help relieve pain. These pulses let your muscles relax & help calm your nerves by tricking your pain receptors. 

 

     6. A 'womb healing meditation' to assist with clearing physical pain from your womb space

Rosie has created a 19 minute Womb healing Meditation that you can download for only $10 AUD.

"When we do a womb healing, we start to feel a greater sense of connection to this space - more pleasure, more sensitivity, more flow and more awareness."

This guided meditation will help assisting you with clearing that physical pain, releasing the trauma endometriosis has caused your womb space & helping you to visualise the healing to your uterus. 

 

Unfortunately for most, the solution is surgery and still sometimes endometriosis can return. There are also further complications that endometriosis can cause like infertility & ovarian cancer. Our best advise to you is to see a gynecologist to help you with a diagnosis (if that is what you are looking for) and to help create a treatment management plan. .

 

 

So how do you know if you have endometriosis?

It would take a diagnosis from a doctor, but your symptoms could include:

• PAIN – period pain, pain when having intercourse & pain when going to the toilet.
• Infertility
• Heavy and/or long menstrual bleeds
• Bloating
• Fatigue
• Diarrhea or Constipation

 

Endometriosis puts peoples lives on hold during their bleeds, so how can you support them?

• If you are a partner – provide and assist with pain relief. This could be facilitating some of the options above, giving a massage or even taking the load off from the day-to-day responsibilities so they can rest.
• If you are an employer, you could offer WFH during your employees’ menstrual cycle so they can be curled up more comfortably rather than masking it in the workplace.
• You can direct people to the Endometriosis website for support groups and assistance in finding specialised clinics.