March is worldwide Endometriosis Awareness month
Reproductive system diseases have become a public health burden which endanger physical and mental health.1
Did you know that 1 in 10 women in New Zealand suffer with endometriosis?!
This number is fairly consistent across the first world.
Of the current options of surgery, pain relief, and hormonal treatments - laparoscopy alone is considered an effective treatment by 67% of sufferers.2
Endometriosis harms all aspects of quality of life.
In New Zealand, the average age of onset is 15 years, and the top five reported symptoms are all pain-based.
Studies show between sixty to seventy percent of endometriosis sufferers utilizing natural medicine for symptom control3 with almost one third of surveyed women choosing homeopathy4 which has been shown via randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to improve dysmenorrhea; pelvic, bowel, and body pain; vitality; and mental health and depression symptoms in deeply infiltrating endometriosis5 and, primary dysmenorrhea.6
Endometriosis disrupts delicate female hormonal balance; it is a complex, not fully understood disease.
In healthy endometrium, progesterone and oestrogen are balanced resulting in a normal menstrual cycles and uncomplicated conception.
Common to endometriosis is oestrogen dominance which often leads to heightened inflammation and increased pain.7
Oestrogen & Caffeine Collide. Excess hormones are cleared from our body by the liver via eliminatory channels, and guess what? Oestrogen and caffeine both use the same one!
So, caffeine can hinder the detox of oestrogen and result in oestrogen dominance8
Symptoms of oestrogen dominance can be similar to those in perimenopause, menopause, and PMS - the fifteen common signs are:
Mood swings
Irritability
Low libido
Worsening PMS
Irregular periods
Heavy periods
Bloating
Weight gain
Anxiety
Hair loss
Insomnia
Fatigue
Infertility
Memory and brain fog
Hot flashes & night sweats
Homeopathy has been shown to act favourably in primary dysmenorrhea, and is associated with improved PMS, reduced sick days and less medication.9
Chamomile tea might also be a helpful addition to your life!10
SARAH PENROSE has a BSc(hons) homeopathy supported by two additional homeopathy diplomas and fourteen years’ practical experience. Sarah has published an example of her work in adenomyosis,11 and her paper hormonal disorders and homeopathy in elite female athletes12 presented at the XIII Australian Homeopathic Medicine conference in 2023 outlined examples of her work in poly cystic ovarian syndrome, infertility, candida, low libido, mastalgia, Hashimoto’s disease, and menopause.
Pan J, Zhang J. 2021. Research Progress of PCNA in Reproductive System Diseases. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. Oct 21;2021:2391917. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34721621/
Ellis et al., 2022. The experiences of endometriosis patients with diagnosis and treatment in New Zealand. Front Glob Womens Health. Aug 31;3:991045. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9471549/
Schwartz et al., 2019. The use of home remedies and complementary health approaches in endometriosis. Reprod Biomed Online. Feb;38(2):260-271. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30612955/
Adamietz et al., 2021. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in women with endometriosis. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2021 Jul;262:7-12. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33984728/
Teixeira et al., 2017. Potentized estrogen in homeopathic treatment of endometriosis-associated pelvic pain: A 24-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. European Journal of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. Apr;211:48-55. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28187404/
Ghosh et al., 2021. Efficacy of individualized homeopathic medicines in primary dysmenorrhea: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial. J Complement Integr Med. Jun 3. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34085495/
Marquardt et al., 2019. Progesterone and Estrogen Signaling in the Endometrium: What Goes Wrong in Endometriosis? Int J Mol Sci. Aug 5;20(15):3822. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31387263/
Lucero et al., 2001. Early follicular phase hormone levels in relation to patterns of alcohol, tobacco, and coffee use. Fertil Steril. Oct;76(4):723-9. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11591405/
Yakir et al., 2019. A Placebo-Controlled Double-Blind Randomized Trial with Individualized Homeopathic Treatment Using a Symptom Cluster Approach in Women with Premenstrual Syndrome. Homeopathy. Nov;108(4):256-269. Available from: https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/s-0039-1691834
Niazi A, Moradi M. 2021. The Effect of Chamomile on Pain and Menstrual Bleeding in Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review. Int J Community Based Nurs Midwifery. Jul;9(3):174-186. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8242407/