What is
endometriosis?
The endometrium is a special type
of tissue that usually lines the inner walls of a woman’s uterus.
Sometimes endometrium migrates and becomes implanted in
other areas within the pelvis. In women with
endometriosis there may be endometrial tissue on the fallopian
tubes, the ovaries or anywhere else on the lining of the pelvis-
these are all places endometrial tissue is not meant to be.
During a woman’s normal menstrual
cycle the endometrium within the uterus becomes thickened and
prepared for the possibility of conception and pregnancy. This
occurs under the influence of hormones in the blood stream. If
conception does not occur, the hormone levels decrease and the
endometrium comes away from the wall of the uterus and is shed
through the vagina - what we know as menstruation or our monthly
period.
In women with endometriosis the
same process occurs but the extra endometrial tissue in various
sites around the pelvis reacts in the same way to hormonal changes
in the bloodstream. This means the misplaced endometrium thickens
and breaks down as normal but then has nowhere to exit the body
and becomes trapped. This can lead to inflammation and
pain in the surrounding tissue and, in the long term, can
form cysts and scar tissue.
How will I know
if I have endometriosis?
Endometriosis can cause
severe pain, usually in the pelvic area, and women with
this condition usually feel the most pain and discomfort during
their monthly period. This pain can be debilitating and is
generally more severe than what other women experience as “period
pain.” Other symptoms of this condition are menorrhagia or
excessive menstrual bleeding, bleeding in between periods and pain
during sexual intercourse or bowel movements.
Endometriosis may also
decrease fertility and is an important factor in women
who are having difficulty getting pregnant. In some women,
endometriosis may cause few or even no symptoms at all.
Endometriosis is a very
common disorder and current estimates indicate that
almost 1 in 10 women in their reproductive years suffer from this
condition. It is most common in women who have not had children.
Because various other conditions may mimic the same symptoms as
endometriosis, it is important to consult your health care
provider about any troublesome menstrual symptoms or
anything else that causes you to suspect this condition.
Endometriosis is usually easily diagnosed by means of an internal
pelvic examination.
What causes
endometriosis?
Modern medicine is not quite sure
what causes endometriosis. However, although the cause of
endometriosis has not been scientifically proven, there
are a number of possible options that are being
researched by conventional medicine. One theory is that a small
amount of menstrual blood does not flow out of the vagina as is
usual but instead travels backwards through the fallopian tubes
into the pelvic cavity.
Endometrial cells contained in this
blood then act as “seeds” to produce areas of endometrial tissue
outside of the uterus. It is not understood why this process leads
to endometriosis in some women but not others. Studies suggest
that it has something to do with immune functioning.
Another theory is that the endometrial cells are
transferred within the bloodstream. This theory is based on the
fact that endometrial cells can be isolated from blood in the
blood vessels and would explain cases of endometriosis found in
obscure sites such as the lung.
Traditional Chinese and
Oriental medicine has a different
understanding and approach to the cause of endometriosis - but one
which fits the current scientific knowledge and would fill in many
of the gaps in scientists’ theories. In Traditional Chinese
Medicine, endometriosis is classified as a liver disorder
and associated with liver stagnation. In every woman with
endometriosis the underlying cause for this liver blood stagnation
may be slightly different but the outcome is similar.
Recent studies have supported this
theory and implicated chronic exposure to dioxins (an
environmental pollutant) to both liver health and
endometriosis independently. Unfortunately, for women living a
modern lifestyle, avoiding these dioxins would be very difficult
as they are found in a large proportion of all fish, meat and
dairy products produced for human consumption. A compromised liver
would also play a part in weakening the immune system - once again
a factor implicated in endometriosis.
Eating foods that are understood to
be liver-weakening is also a problem of modern lifestyle and
endometriosis. Refined foods, especially those containing wheat
flour and sugar, deep fried foods, caffeine and ice-cold drinks,
all compromise liver functioning and should be avoided by women in
general, but particularly those with a predisposition to or past
experience of endometriosis. Stress is also a big
enemy of liver health and in Chinese medicine the liver is
considered the most emotion-sensitive organ of the body.
Apart from stress and environmental
pollution, conventional drugs and medications are also largely to
blame for liver weakness and stagnation. Painkillers
are a huge culprit in endometriosis. Women with this condition
often rely on conventional pain killers and Non-Steroidal
Anti Inflammatory Drug’s (NSAIDs) to help them cope with
the pain around menstruation. NSAID’s are one of the most damaging
classes of drugs, especially to the liver and kidneys, and these
medicines can actually contribute to the worsening of
endometriosis in the long-term, even causing irreversible damage.
What
complications can endometriosis cause?
If left untreated or if poorly
managed endometriosis generally worsens over time. The most
serious and often heart-breaking complication of endometriosis is
infertility. Endometriosis is sometimes diagnosed for the first
time when a woman seeks fertility treatment.
Scar tissue caused by endometriosis
may be the culprit in preventing conception - sometimes partially
or completely blocking the path of the egg to be fertilized. There
are probably also other, less understood ways that endometriosis
can affect fertility and although many women with endometriosis
can still fall pregnant, it usually takes longer than average or
requires some type of intervention.
What is the
usual treatment for
endometriosis?
Conventional treatment for
endometriosis is based on prescription medications or
surgery depending on the severity of the condition and
whether the woman wants to get pregnant.
For women who wish to control the
pain of endometriosis and menstruation in this condition, the most
common treatment is with Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory
Drugs (NSAID's) which vary in effectiveness depending on
the severity of the condition, the strength of the drug prescribed
as well as individual factors. The use of pain-killers or NSAID’s
in endometriosis is only really effective at treating the
symptoms, such as menstrual cramps, pelvic pain and painful
intercourse and will have no positive long-term effect
on the condition itself.
Hormonal medications including
the contraceptive pill are used to treat the
progression of endometriosis itself and are useful in reducing
symptoms and shrinking the endometrial deposits. Unfortunately
though, hormonal drugs are also only a temporary solution. While
using these drugs the endometriosis will be suppressed and
symptoms improved but long-term, the condition will
return. Within 1-2 years of stopping hormonal treatment,
the endometriosis will flare-up again with all of the associated
symptoms. Also, large deposits of endometrial tissue in the pelvis
(i.e. larger than 3 cm in diameter) do not generally respond to
hormonal treatment at all.
Both NSAID’s and hormonal
treatments can also cause a variety of adverse
side-effects including irregular bleeding, thrombosis,
menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, reduced bone density and
vaginal dryness (which may or may not be reversible). As mentioned
above, use of painkillers and NSAID's can also compromise liver
functioning - thereby contributing to the continuation or even
worsening of the endometriosis.
Surgery
may be regarded as either conservative or radical.
In conservative surgery endometrial deposits, scar tissue and
cysts are removed as much as is possible with the maximum amount
of healthy tissue left intact. Radical surgery is usually reserved
for severe cases or women who have completed their families and
usually takes the form of a complete hysterectomy.
How can natural
remedies help?
By treating the underlying cause of
the endometriosis - namely a poorly functioning liver -
Traditional Chinese Medicine has the potential to cure the
condition and prevent future recurrence rather than just
suppressing the symptoms and outcomes as is the case with
conventional medicine.
The herbal ingredients used in
traditional Oriental treatment of endometriosis work by
fundamentally changing the functioning of the liver and female
reproductive system. In order to do this, the treatment
must be continued regularly for a regimen of several months and
even longer if necessary in particularly stubborn cases. Medicinal
herbs in general take longer than allopathic medicines to show
their effectiveness but the patience and persistence required is
usually worth the safer, superior and often permanent results
achieved.
What
are the ingredients of Endo-Ex?
This 100% natural remedy contains
the following herbal and homeopathic ingredients:
Vitex agnus-castus is also
known as Chasteberry and is a useful
hormone-balancing herb. Recent studies have shown that compounds
in Vitex are effective in adjusting female hormones that are out
of balance and regulating menstruation. Vitex has also been proven
to be effective in the treatment of endometriosis, PMS and
dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation). Chasteberry helps the liver
to process and excrete estrogen which is important for women with
endometriosis as excess estrogen in the system has been linked to
the development of this condition.
Angelica senensis (Don
Quai)
acts as a hormone balancer and is an indispensable herb for
treatment of female reproductive disorders. A very highly regarded
medicinal herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine,
Don Quai acts as a tonic herb for the reproductive system and
will address the overall health of your reproductive organs. It is
especially useful in treatment of irregular periods, polycystic
ovarian syndrome, estrogen dominance and endometriosis.
Don Quai is also a well-known liver tonic and blood pressure
regulator.
Silybum marianus (Milk Thistle)
This herb has been used since ancient times for treating a wide
variety of ailments, but is particularly effective in the
treatment of liver problems. Studies suggest that this herb
protects the liver from damage by viruses, pollution, stress and
toxins. Milk Thistle is a potent antioxidant and laboratory
studies indicate it may have useful anti-cancer properties.
Dioscorea villosa (Chinese Yam)
is an excellent natural liver and nervous system tonic. It is also
known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic properties and
will decrease menstrual pain as well as inflammation associated
with endometriosis that leads to scar tissue.
Viburnum opulus (30C) is a
homeopathic remedy known for its effectiveness in treating painful
menstruation, especially backache.
Endo-Ex contains less than 1%
pure pharmaceutical ethanol when diluted as directed. Like all
Native Remedies products, Endo-Ex contains no artificial flavors
or colors and is gluten free.
How has Endo-Ex helped
other women?
"After having
had endometriosis since my teens I was tired of the awful monthly
pains and was not interested in using oral contraceptives as my
doctor suggested because I want to get pregnant in the near
future. I decided to try your Endo-Ex and it has
really helped me. The dreadful pains every month have subsided
considerably and these days I don’t feel completely useless and
miserable when I get my period. I am confident that with continued
treatment my problem will be completely cured." -
Kerryn
"My husband and
I have been trying to conceive for more than a year and it just
wasn’t happening for us. After extensive testing I was told that I
have endometriosis and this was why I was struggling to get
pregnant. I went through two traumatic and expensive attempts at
IVF before I decided to give the natural route a shot. After 6
months of using Endo-Ex I got pregnant. We were
both flabbergasted and thrilled! I have Native Remedies to thank
for this miracle and don’t think you will ever understand how
grateful I am." - Andrea
How do I use
Endo-Ex Formula?
Take 10 - 15 drops in 1/4 cup water
three times daily. Continue for at least 6 months or longer should
this be necessary.
Caution:
Please consult your medical practitioner should symptoms persist.
Safety during pregnancy and nursing is not yet established.
How long until
I see results?
Improvement may be noted from the
first menstrual period though it might take several cycles to see
the full effectiveness of this natural remedy.
How long will a
bottle last?
One 50 ml bottle will last
approximately 30 days.
A 90 day supply is offered at a
discount (see the Buy 2 Get 1 FREE special
below).
