March is Endometriosis Month, and it aims to raise awareness about the hidden, and often unrecognized condition.
Endometriosis Awareness
Endometriosis is a chronic condition that affects a woman’s reproductive organs. It happens when the lining cells of the uterus (called the endometrium) grow outside of it. In the UK, around 1.5 million women are currently living with the condition, and it can affect individuals at any age – from puberty to menopause.
Symptoms of endometriosis include:
- Painful menstruation
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Heavy or irregular menstruation
- Pelvic bloating (from endometriotic cysts or enlarged womb)
- Subfertility
- Bowel-related symptoms during menstruation such as painful bowel movements, diarrhoea and constipation
- Urinary-related symptoms during menstruation such as painful urination and bloody urination
The cause of endometriosis is unknown and although there is no real cure. However, there are many options to make the symptoms and pain more manageable – such as complementary healthcare, including Chinese medicine.
Endometriosis: TCM Perspective
According to the theories of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), endometriosis is known as “menstrual pain” due to its symptoms. TCM describes endometriosis as a blood stasis syndrome with a formation of abdominal lumps. Blood stasis is a condition where small vessels are not capable of carrying blood flow normally. It is the cause of severe pain, especially in the lower abdomen during your menstruation, and is believed to be responsible for cases of excessive menstrual bleeding and infertility.
Endometriosis can be a difficult condition to deal with, both physically and emotionally. When assisting endometriosis with herbal remedies, it is mainly to focus on blood stasis and kidney yang deficiency. Blood stasis is said to be related to a stagnant qi (which restricts blood circulation), and kidney yang deficiency (which affects metabolism).
Apart from individual herbal prescriptions based on particular symptoms, practitioners commonly use the following standard formulas to help the condition:
- Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan
- Nuan Gong Yun Zi Wan
- Tao Hong Si Wu Wan
- Wen Jing Tang
As endometriosis is such a complex condition, practitioners may also want to combine formulas such as Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan and Liu Wei Di Huang Wan.
For herbalists wanting to prescribe tailor-made solutions for all conditions, we offer a bespoke in-house dispensary service. Please visit our dispensary website or contact dispensary@phoenixmedical.com.
If you would like any further advice regarding the above information, please contact info@phoenixmedical.com. If you would like to purchase any of the mentioned items, please visit our online shop.
Disclaimer: Please note that this information is intended for qualified herbalists or healthcare professionals only. If you are a patient, please consult your practitioner for a diagnosis as these recommendations may not be suitable for you. If you would like us to recommend a practitioner who uses Phoenix Medical products and services, contact us at info@phoenixmedical.com and we will gladly assist you.
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