EP.259/ Acupuncture for Endo – Can It Really Help?
Today’s short solo episode is another one that I hope will provide you with some practical tools for living well with endo, today I want to briefly talk about acupuncture.
Now, I am not an acupuncturist, so I am not an expert, but as a certified endometriosis health coach, it is a type of alternative therapy that I often recommend to clients, especially when they are struggling with pain and are looking for a tool kit of modalities to help reduce it over time.
So, let’s first talk about what acupuncture is. Acupuncture is rooted in Chinese medicine, but it has now been adopted throughout the world and is even acknowledged to be a beneficial therapy by western medicine. At a very basic level, acupuncture is the practice of gently inserting very fine needles into specific points of the body, and traditionally, the idea behind this was that these needles would help to encourage correct and healthy flow of Qi, which is - again, in basic terms – our life force or life energy.
Chinese medicine believes that when there are blockages of Qi in our body, that can lead to pain, illness, etc. and acupuncture provides a way to release this life energy so it can flow properly and restore health.
From a Western medicine perspective, the theory behind the benefits of acupuncture is that it stimulates blood flow to areas, can aid with muscle tension and fascia problems and releases endorphins, which are feel-good hormones that can actually help to relieve pain.(1)
So, what’s this got to do with endometriosis?
For many years, patients have reported improvements in pain with endometriosis, but research wise, we needed to catch up. Now, whilst more research is still required, we do have really promising data that acupuncture helps to lower pain in endometriosis patients.
In fact, NICE; National Institute for Health and Care Excellence actually recommends acupuncture as a treatment for chronic pain and the NHS may even cover the cost of your acupuncture sessions, if you’re in the UK.(2)
At present, the reasoning behind the success of acupuncture for endo is that it may work by boosting pain relieving hormones, blocking inflammatory pathways, lowering oestrogen levels in the blood stream and boosting immunity to better fight endometrial cells.(3) Because there is research on acupuncture lowering oestrogen levels*, if you suffer with signs of oestrogen deficiency like light, watery and pink periods, it’s best to get your levels tested first and consult with a doctor and acupuncturist to ensure it’s right for you.
So, let’s take a quick look at some of the data.
A 2017 meta-analysis reviewing 10 different studies on acupuncture for endo found that despite the need for more research, the data does indicate that acupuncture can reduce endometriosis pain.(4) Additionally, a 2018 meta-analysis of complementary treatment for endometriosis found that acupuncture significantly reduced pain in this population, more so than yoga, electrotherapy or exercise, although all showed improvements with symptoms.(5)
One study found that endometriosis pain significantly reduced pain after 4 weeks of treatment and improved participants ability to perform day to day activities, whilst another showed an improvement with pain and quality of life.(4)
Interestingly, research has also found that acupuncture can lower CA-125 levels in the blood, which is a marker for inflammation and is often elevated in people with endometriosis, and in my experience with clients, can sometimes be hard to lower. So, if you find your doctors are reporting your CA-125 levels to be high, and you’re working on reducing inflammation with a good anti-inflammatory diet, exercise and sleep, and you’re still not seeing a reduction, consider giving acupuncture a go.(4)
Finally, research isn’t just showing positive effects for endo, but general period pain too, known as dysmenorrhea. One study found that after 12 sessions, across three cycles, menstrual pain intensity reduced significantly and this relief lasted for up to a year. Not only that, but these participants also reported a reduced duration of pain, and reduced use of medication.(6)
Based on the research we have so far, if you’re interested in trying acupuncture, it would be best to have at least three months’ worth of regular sessions, possibly even weekly if you have the time and money. However, consult with your acupuncturist to see what they recommend. When you do look for an acupuncturist, ask them about whether they’ve treated endometriosis and period pain, or gynae conditions in the past and ensure you’re seeing a practitioner with an interest in and experience in these areas.
I’ve linked to some websites that can help you find a trained and registered practitioner.
*There is also research indicating acupuncture can raise oestrogen levels, so it may not be an issue - just check with your practitioner first.
Show Notes
1) https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/acupuncture/
2) https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng193/chapter/Recommendations
3) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29077705/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18928114/, https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2011/481625/
4) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29077705/
5) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29944729/
6) https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0180177
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