We are all unique and each woman suffering from endometriosis is likely to to suffer in some unique way. It therefore follows that different complementary treatments will suit some people better than others. We, at the Endometriosis and Fertility Clinic, specialise in nutritional therapy so that would be our obvious first choice, but each may have benefit for some women. What we would advise is to limit what treatments you try at one time, for example some specialists would would in different ways and their treatments may not be compatable,for example a herbalist and a nutritionist would each be trying to put nutrients into the body, so to see both at the same time may be counter productive.
Choosing a practitioner is also a important task, you need to check that they are properly qualified and covered by insurance and registered with their governing body. We will show you how to search for each organising body for each type of practitioner. This is a list of some of the more common and well known therapies and how they might help.
Acupuncture
Is an ancient Chinese therapy based on ancient principles which go back nearly two thousand years. It has a very
positive model of good health and function, and looks at pain and illness as signs that the body is out of balance.
The overall aim of acupuncture treatment, then, is to restore the body's equilibrium. What makes this system so
uniquely suited to modern life is that physical, emotional and mental are seen as interdependent, and reflect
what many people perceive as the connection between the different aspects their lives.
Based on traditional belief, acupuncturists are trained to use subtle diagnostic techniques that have been
developed and refined for centuries. The focus is on the individual, not their illness, and all the symptoms
are seen in relation to each other. Each patient is unique; two people with the same western diagnosis may well
receive different acupuncture treatments.
Traditional acupuncturists believe that the underlying principle of treatment is that illness and pain occur when
the body's qi, or vital energy, cannot flow freely. There can be many reasons for this; emotional and physical
stress, poor nutrition, infection or injury are among the most common. By inserting ultra-fine sterile needles
into specific acupuncture points, a traditional acupuncturist seeks to re-establish the free flow of qi to
restore balance and trigger the body's natural healing response.
In the UK the Governing body is the British Acupuncture Council,
search for them on the web and you will be able to find a practitioner near you.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is the systematic use of essential oils in holistic treatments to improve
physical and emotional well-being. Essential oils, extracted from plants, possess distinctive therapeutic
properties, which can be utilised to improve health and wellbeing.
Methods of use
Aromatherapy is an especially effective treatment for stress-related problems and a variety of chronic
conditions Essential Oils.
The Aromatherapy practitioners have a number of different practitioner organisations under the umbrella
of the Aromatherapy Council.
Chinese Herbal Medicine
Chinese Herbal Medicine is one of the great herbal systems of the world, with an unbroken
tradition going back to the 3rd century BC.
Yet throughout its history it has continually developed in response to changing clinical conditions, and has
been sustained by research into every aspect of its use. This process continues today with the development of
modern medical diagnostic techniques and knowledge.
Because of its systematic approach and clinical effectiveness it has for centuries had a very great influence
on the theory and practice of medicine in the East, and more recently has grown rapidly in popularity in the West.
It still forms a major part of healthcare provision in China, and is provided in state hospitals alongside western
medicine. Chinese medicine includes all oriental traditions emerging from Southeast Asia that have their origins
in China.
Practitioners may work within a tradition that comes from Japan, Vietnam, Taiwan or Korea. It is a complete
medical system that is capable of treating a very wide range of conditions. It includes herbal therapy,
acupuncture, dietary therapy, and exercises in breathing and movement (tai chi and qi gong). Some or several
of these may be employed in the course of treatment.
Chinese Herbal Medicine, along with the other components of Chinese medicine, is based on the concepts of Yin and
Yang. It aims to understand and treat the many ways in which the fundamental balance and harmony between the two
may be undermined and the ways in which a person's Qi or vitality may be depleted or blocked. Clinical strategies
are based upon diagnosis of patterns of signs and symptoms that reflect an imbalance.
There is a register of Chinese Herbal Medicine who have a list of members, that you can search for.
Chiropractic
Chiropractic is a primary health-care profession that specialises in the diagnosis, treatment and overall management of conditions that are due to problems with the joints, ligaments, tendons and nerves, especially related to the spine. Chiropractic treatment mainly involves safe, often gentle, specific spinal manipulation to free joints in the spine or other areas of the body that are not moving properly. Apart from manipulation, chiropractors may use a variety of techniques including ice, heat, ultrasound, exercise and acupuncture as well as advice about posture and lifestyle. Although chiropractors are best known for treating back and neck pain, which they do very well, patients also consult chiropractors regarding a range of other, related conditions.
Herbal Medicine
Medical herbalists are health care providers trained in Western orthodox medical diagnosis who
use plant based medicines to treat their patients. In the UK medical herbalists have the right to primary
diagnosis.
For many patients, their first visit to a medical herbalist can be a life changing experience and a chance to
experience true healthcare. Your medical herbalist is a genuine, caring partner in health from the cradle to the
third age. Many people come to appreciate the power of correctly prescribed, natural herbal medicines dispensed
by a highly trained medical professional.
Patients are often amazed at the opportunity and time given to discussing their physical, emotional and spiritual
wellbeing in depth, and the sense of freedom and empowerment it gives them. Combined with the knowledge of an
experienced healthcare partner the results speak for themselves
There is the National Institutes of Medical Herbalists that will find a herbalist near your postal address.
Homeopathy
Treating like with like, Homeopathy is based on the principle that 'like cures like' - in
other words, a substance taken in small amounts will cure the same symptoms it causes if it was taken in large
amounts.
In homeopathy the active ingredient is highly diluted. This is the most controversial aspect of homeopathy. How
can a medicine be effective when it has been diluted so much?
Laboratory research is focusing on the ability of water to retain an imprint of substances which have been
dissolved in it. Science still has a lot to explain but whatever the mechanism, there is a growing body of
clinical evidence to show that homeopathy has a positive effect.
There is the British Homeopathic Assocoaition and they will give you a list of local practitioners.
Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy is a evidence based therapy, with over 70,000 research references worldwide,
but which is often misunderstood by the public. It is important to understand that hypnotherapy is not a magic
pill. It requires that the client be committed to change and prepared to make the effort to make that change
a reality.
Hypnotherapy helps people to make changes in their behaviour. It cannot force you to make any changes against
your will. Hypnotherapy commonly helps with conditions including: Problem behaviours, Fears and Phobias, Stress
and Anxiety, Pain management (including childbirth), and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Nutritional Therapy
Nutritional Therapy is the application of nutrition science in the promotion of health, peak
performance and individual care. Nutritional therapy practitioners use a wide range of tools to assess and
identify potential nutritional imbalances and understand how these may contribute to an individual's symptoms
and health concerns.
Nutritional therapists assess nutritional status and functional capacity. They recognise that each person's needs
are unique and depend on a number of factors, from inherited strengths and weaknesses to the influence of diet,
lifestyle and environment.
Obviously there is no need to search for a nutrition therapist as you have already found us. However, you need
to ensure that any nutritional therapist is a member of the British Association of Nutritional Therapist and
registered with the CNHC (Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council). Dian is a member of BANT and registered
at the CNHC.
Osteopathy
Osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of medical conditions.
It works with the structure and function of the body, and is based on the principle that the well-being of an
individual depends on the skeleton, muscles, ligaments and connective tissues functioning smoothly together.
To an osteopath, for your body to work well, its structure must also work well. So osteopaths work to
restore your body to a state of balance, where possible without the use of drugs or surgery. Osteopaths use
touch, physical manipulation, stretching and massage to increase the mobility of joints, to relieve muscle
tension, to enhance the blood and nerve supply to tissues, and to help your body's own healing mechanisms.
They may also provide advice on posture and exercise to aid recovery, promote health and prevent symptoms
recurring.
There is the General Osteopathy Council that is the regulatory body and it also allows you to search for
practitioners in your area.
Reflexology
Reflexology is a non-intrusive complementary health therapy, based on the theory that different
points on the feet, lower leg, hands, face or ears correspond with different areas of the body. Reflexologists work
holistically with their clients and aim to work alongside allopathic healthcare to promote better health for their
clients.
Reflexology is a therapy which can be received by anyone at any age, from newborn babies to those receiving end
of life care, and everyone in between. However, there may occasionally be times when it is not suitable to
provide a treatment. The best advice we can give you is to give your local reflexologist a ring and ask!
Well trained reflexologists do not claim to cure, diagnose or prescribe. Reflexology is a very individual
treatment which is tailored to you as a whole person, taking into account both physical and non-physical factors
that might be affecting your wellbeing. Some people find it works for them - some don't. The best way to find out
is to try it!
The theory is that reflexology helps the body to restore its balance naturally. Usually, after a treatment your
tension may be reduced and you might feel relaxed. You might also notice yourself sleeping better and find your
mood and sense of wellbeing improving. You may also find that other aspects improve too; however, this happens
on an individual basis.
There have been some positive research projects carried out with reflexology; however, as yet, there is not a
large enough body of evidence for us to make clinical claims of effectiveness.
With ever increasing levels of stress in everyday life, it is important for people to take more responsibility
for their own healthcare needs. Reflexology may be one of the ways to mitigate the stresses of modern life.
There is the Association of Reflexologists who regulate the profession and the practitioners should also be
registered under the CNHC (like the Nutritional Therapists).
Therapeutic Massage
Massage is the manipulation of superficial and deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue
using various techniques, to enhance function, aid in the healing process, decrease muscle reflex activity,
inhibit motor-neuron excitability, promote relaxation and well-being, and as a recreational activity.
The word comes from the French massage "friction of kneading", or from Arabic massa meaning "to touch, feel or
handle".
Massage involves working and acting on the body with pressure - structured, unstructured, stationary, or moving -
tension, motion, or vibration, done manually or with mechanical aids. Target tissues may include muscles, tendons,
ligaments, fascia, skin, joints, or other connective tissue, as well as lymphatic vessels, or organs of the
gastrointestinal system. Massage can be applied with the hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearm, or feet.
There is the General Council for Massage Therapy, which is the UK governing body and where you can find a therapist
near you.