The Role of Complementary and Alternative Medicinein Managing Endometriosis

Background: Endometriosis is a female reproductive sys temdisease characterized by the presence of tissue similar to thosein the endometrium outside the uterus. The use of Complementaryand Alternative Medicine (CAM) in endometriosis treatmentshas grown rapidly in recent years. CAM is consideredas a type of non-traditional medicinal therapy such as acupuncture,herbal and physical therapies. The purpose of this paper isto search the exis ting scientific literature on the use of CAM todetermine which methods are useful and safe.Materials and Methods: A literature search was conducted onPubMed.Results: Women with endometriosis may suffer from debilitatingpainful symptoms such as chronic pelvic pain especially dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and infertility which all may negativelyaffects patients' quality of life. These women desire tofind the bes t possible ways of dealing with this disease and preferto use noninvasive and confidently alternative therapies withfewer side effects. In addition to medical treatments, there are anumber of s trategies for women diagnosed with endometriosis.S tress management is one the mos t serious parts of these s trategieswhich advance the feeling of being in control in respects oftreatment decision-making, emotions and behavior. Good dietas another essential part of a comprehensive treatment plan isan effective way to overcome some of the debilitating naturesymptoms of this disease. There are various herbs that are suggested for women suffer from endometriosis in different waysof teas, necessary oils for massage, oral extracts and salves.Exercise, acupuncture, acupressure and massage therapy areanother helpful programs in reducing s tress, improvement ofself-es teem, relieving dysmenorrhea and improving pregnancy.Conclusion: An integrated approach encompasses s tress management,appropriate nutrition, herbal and physical therapies incombination with conventional medical or surgical treatmentwill be expected yield the mos t beneficial treatment for patients.

کلیدواژه ها:

Complementary and Alternative Medicine ، Endometriosis ، Infertility