Are you or someone you know suffering from chronic endometriosis pain? When the tissues of the lining of the uterus start to grow outside of the uterus, nodules or lesions appear on the nearby organs and tissues causing a severe pain. Well, even though this painful condition affects women both emotionally and physically, there are several ways to deal with severe pain.
One of the main symptoms of this aching condition is chronic pelvic pain during, before or after the menstrual period. In our country, it affects around 1 in 10 girls and women between the ages of 12 years to 60 years. Most of the women experience cramping during their period, however, the endometriosis pain is worse than normal cramping.
Till date, there is no proper cure for this chronic ache but there are some ways to cope with or to manage the chronic endometriosis pain. Read on to know more about the ways in which you can cope with the severe endometriosis pain.
Regular work out
If you engage yourself in regular work out, dealing with this severe pain becomes a bit easier. Regular exercise can help in:
- Maintaining oxygen and nutrient flow to all the body systems
- Encouraging the blood circulation to all the organs
- Reducing stress
- Decreasing the production of estrogen
- Releasing endorphins, the pain-relieving chemicals
Swimming, running, cycling, biking etc., are high-intensity physical activities. Being engaged in such activities on a regular basis will help you to deal with chronic endometriosis pain.
Maintain proper diet
Estrogen activity, prostaglandin metabolism, inflammation etc., are closely linked to the endometriosis pain and a proper diet can deal with all these aforementioned aspects. Hence, having the right diet is one of the ways of reducing the suffering.
- Various medical research reports and studies have reflected the fact that the higher intake of green vegetables and fresh foods can diminish the chance of chronic endometriosis pain by almost 40%. On the contrary, a higher intake of red meat, ham, and beef can increase the risk by almost 80% to 100%.
- It is also widely considered that the risk of this chronic pain depends on the type of the fat that you intake. According to various studies, consuming foods with high omega-3 fatty acids lowers the risks of chronic endometriosis pain by almost 22%. Salmon, walnuts, flaxseeds etc., contain high omega-3 fatty acids and are helpful in coping with chronic endometriosis pain.
Managing the stress levels
Your stress level can skyrocket while having this unbearable endometriosis pain as the symptoms influence almost every aspect of your life, including your professional life, personal relationships, and family. Several relaxation techniques will help you in refocusing on something that is calming, thus increasing the body awareness and reducing the stress hormones’ activity.
- To increase the physical sensation awareness and promote deep relaxation, progressive muscle relaxation is very effective. It focuses on relaxation and tension of each muscle group.
- Autogenic training method will teach your body how to respond to various verbal commands. In turn, it will tell your body to control breathing, blood pressure, body temperature, and heartbeat and will help your body to relax.
- In the deep breathing technique, you need to inhale through the nose and need to exhale through the mouth. Take such deep breaths that will let your lower abdomen rise and fall.
- Visualization technique is all about using a mental imagery that will help you to take a visual journey to such a situation or a place that brings peace of mind.
Once you start following the aforementioned tips, you will know better which technique is working the best for you and with practice and time, you will soon be able to effectively deal with severe endometriosis pain.
Alternative therapies
Although enough research has still not been conducted to support the alternative therapies that can manage the chronic endometriosis pain, some women have been able to find relief from the painful symptoms using different alternative and complementary medicines.
- OMT (Osteopathic manipulative treatment) involves manipulation techniques such as gentle pressure, stretching, resistance etc., to move the joints and muscles. This technique is very effective in menstrual and muscle pain.
- Another technique is acupuncture that helps in inducing the release of the pain-relieving chemicals from the brain, thus deactivating the areas of the brain that are linked with the pain sensation along with promoting the anti-inflammatory effects.
- Dietary supplements, vitamins, Chinese herbal medicine etc., are also effective in some cases.
Other than all the aforementioned ways, some medications also help to cope with the pain. However, it is always advisable to consult your healthcare professional before considering any medications.
