Why Endometriosis?

Why Acupuncture for Endometriosis?

Dr Stephanie Lipnicki, DACM, LAc 

I can remember when I was attending Acupuncture school having the notion that I wanted to specialize in treating Gynecological disorders and fertility. When I left PCOM (the school I attended) and started converting my Massage Therapy practice over to Acupuncture, I felt that in the small town where I practice (Allentown NJ not PA), I needed to be able to help bring balance to everyone's lives. 

So why then did I decide to specialize in endometriosis? After a major health crisis in 2017 (and no I have not written that whole story yet) and trying to recover from that (which I still feel like I am doing), I had to use my experience to help prevent others from experiencing the same pain I went through, and I wanted to be able to guide others with endometriosis on their path to finding tools to manage the disease. 

Many #endowarriors (the catchy term that describes one who experiences the non-bliss that is endometriosis, and they are warriors) experience pain. . . often it is ALL the time. Pain for some is experienced premenstrually, some during, some after - or worse yet (and this is a LOT of endowarriors) THE WHOLE MONTH LONG - 27/7 all year round. There can be pain during intercourse, or even after due to orgasm potentially triggering abdominal spasms. Headaches are not uncommon. Gastrointestinal complications including IBS-like symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, or alternating constipation and diarrhea can be present. Insomnia due to pain or the stress and anxiety that troubles those with endometriosis can also plague those that suffer. And every endowarriors favorite (not) ENDOBELLY!!!!!

Ask an #endowarrior and they'll tell you they have a list of things they do to manage how endometriosis manifests for them. Many that experience endometriosis will eventually realize that diet plays an enormous part in triggering more intense complications with endometriosis. Elimination diets, removing a food from your diet for a period of time, are a way to determine if a food is a trigger for increased inflammation.  This can be tried on your own or with the help of a health care provider such as an Acupuncturist,  Dietician, Nutritionist, etc. Common triggers include wheat, dairy, and sugar. Often the combination of the three can seem tragic.And yet, an #endowarrior  can watch EVERY ounce of food they put into their body and STILL experience debilitating pain! 

Most endowarriors have had a LONG, LONG, LONG, did I say LONG (?) road to getting to the point of having a Dr listen to them. They've been dismissed with words like - painful periods are just part of your period, or (and this was me FOR YEARS) you're too young to have endometriosis (my eyes now roll so far back into my head with this one that they look like the reels on a slot machine). 

Often endowarriors are seeing gynecologists who don't specialize in endometriosis. Having a health care provider who specializes in endometriosis is key to managing endo. Whether it's your western doc, your Acupuncture doc, your nutritionist, your PT who specializes in pelvic floor therapy, etc.

Within my own practice, no two endometriosis cases are alike. Patients may receive completely different points, variations of the main three herbal formulas I use to treat endometriosis. In addition to Acupuncture and Herbs, one patient may need cupping while another might need massage, and yet another may need massage, cupping, and someone else may need everything including the kitchen sink to manage their endometriosis. 

And as with any treatment, it takes time. At present, there is NO known cause for endometriosis. There is NO known cure for endometriosis. BUT recent studies are proving that Acupuncture and Herbs are a superior tool to pain management because while NSAIDs and narcotics block the pain (think bandaid) Acupuncture and Herbs go beyond the management of pain and have even been shown to lower CA 125 numbers in endometriosis patients. 

Back when I was diagnosed (my own diagnosis took 16 YEARS) the thought was that the endometriosis lesions were the same tissue as the endometrial lining - which they are NOT, they are endometrial-like, but not the same. It was also theorized that it was caused by retrograde menstruation  - this was the theory that the endometrial lining back flows via the fallopian tubes into the pelvic cavity. 

Most endometriosis patients require long-term management with Acupuncture and Herbs, however management requires less frequent visits once the majority of the symptoms subside. Most patients require consistent, frequent treatments for the first 12 week course of care and then less frequent as time passes. 

As someone who begged and pleaded for answers before finally getting someone to listen to me after 16 years (I was 28 when I was finally diagnosed), I feel I owe it to other endowarriors to help them on their journey to taking back their lives. 
If you have any questions about endometriosis, where to find an Acupuncturist who specializes in endometriosis near you, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Thank you!
Dr Stephanie

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