Endometriosis Treatment: Medication, Lifestyle Changes, and More

Appropriate endometriosis treatments depend on age, the severity of the symptoms and disease, and whether you may want to get pregnant. Consulting your doctor can help you find the best option for your situation.

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve) can help with pain management.
• Birth control, including birth control pills, patches, and shots, as well as IUDs, may help control the hormones that worsen endometriosis.
• Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) therapies like elagolix (Orlissa) and leuprolide (Lupron) can control hormone levels and ease symptoms.

Endometriosis causes excess tissue growth, and the body doesn’t have a way to clear it on its own. While medication may be able to help manage symptoms, if you’re experiencing severe pain, surgery may be necessary.

Laparoscopic Surgery

In many cases, endometriosis surgery is performed laparoscopically while you’re under general anesthesia. This requires only one or more small incisions near the navel, and a thin tube with a video camera can be inserted into the pelvis.

Usually, this can be done as outpatient surgery, but depending on the severity of the disease, you may need to spend a night in the hospital.

Hysterectomy

Can Endometriosis Symptoms Come Back After Surgery?

Endometriosis is a chronic condition that will recur unless the menstrual cycle is stopped. “After surgery, we commonly suppress recurrent endometriosis by starting continuous birth control pills,” says Leena S. Nathan, MD, a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist at UCLA Health in Westlake Village, California. “This is safe and effective. The goal is to avoid having a period, which can lead to further implants and bleeding within the pelvis.”

The ultimate therapy would be a hysterectomy and removal of one or both ovaries. And endometriosis symptoms overwhelmingly improve after patients transition through menopause, as the menstrual cycle has stopped.

• Eat more fiber, available in fruits and vegetables.
• Limit foods with trans and saturated fats, such as red meat and high-fat dairy.
• Focus on fats with omega-3s, found in cold-water fish, tree nuts, seeds, and cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil.
• Avoid processed foods.
• Get plenty of magnesium and zinc.
• Stay hydrated and avoid caffeine, added sugars, and alcohol.

If you would like to try alternative remedies, discuss your choices ahead of time with your physician. Some of these may not be right for your particular situation or may interfere with your medication.

Do not forgo your traditional therapy for an alternative route. You can create a complementary route together as a team with your doctor.

• Exercise Physical activity may help reduce pain and alleviate the side effects of medications.
• Acupuncture This ancient traditional Chinese medicine practice may offer some pain relief.
• Manual Therapy Physical therapists may help reduce pain through joint mobilization.
• Electrotherapy Methods like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation can help decrease symptoms.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy This helps address the mental health aspect of endometriosis symptoms.

• Endometriosis is a chronic condition that can cause significant pelvic pain and may affect fertility.
• Treatments often include hormonal therapies and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to manage symptoms, but surgery may be necessary for severe cases.
• Dietary changes such as adopting an anti-inflammatory diet and limiting trans and saturated fats may offer some relief and support overall health.
• It’s important to approach complementary and alternative therapies with care. Always consult your doctor beforehand to ensure safety and efficacy within your treatment plan.