Norwich Natural Fertility Partnership

 

 

Our hypnotherapist, Kerry, explains how a mind/body approach to Endometriosis can ease the symptoms and help you to manage the emotional fall out.

 

 

 

'It's like I don't even have my period!' client with endometriosis after hypnosis

 

 

Too little is known about endometriosis, though it affects approximately 10% of women. Tissue which is similar to, but not the same as, the lining of your uterus grows in other places in the body. 

 

Did you know that, in rare cases, men can have endometriosis?  Which debunks the theory that it is caused by your menstrual blood somehow flowing in the wrong direction.

 

In one study, endometriosis was found in 9% of female foetuses , suggesting that it is a disease we are born with and which is then triggered by a variety of factors later on, such as menstruation, exposure to toxins and excess oestrogen.

 

As yet, there is no cure for endometriosis but there are many options available to help you minimise the symptoms.

 

 

1. Pain Relief

 

The symptoms of endometriosis often involve chronic pain: painful periods, painful bowel movements, painful sex, pelvic pain, bladder pain, back pain and pain with exercise. Living with pain can be debilitating, taking its toll, not only on your mind and body, but on every other area of your life. Hypnotherapy can help you take back control. 

 

Not only will hypnotherapy teach you to elicit the relaxation response, known for its healing benefits, it has long been known for its anaesthetic potential, often used in surgery and other medical settings. 

 

Your unconscious mind is constantly processing around 2 million bits of information whereas your conscious mind can only manage a maximum of 9 at a time. Like efficient employees of a large company, your unconscious mind will only bother you with the most important information.  

 

Pain is the body’s way of alerting us to a problem. If we get to close to a flame, pain signals us to retreat. When we experience painful symptoms, it drives us to seek medical help. In cases of chronic pain, however, when we are already doing all we can to support the body, the pain message is no longer required and can be ‘turned off’ using hypnotherapy. 

 

 

 

2. Stick to beneficial life style changes

 

The symptoms of endometriosis can be significantly reduced through lifestyle changes such as a reduction in oestrogen rich foods, foods like meat and dairy which are pumped full of artificial hormones and gluten. If your budget allows, it is well worth seeing a qualified nutritionist who will tailor a diet to your needs or you can find out about an endo friendly diet on line or in books. 

 

Finding ways to incorporate these lifestyle changes and sticking to them is where hypnotherapy comes in. Perhaps you’ve already 'tried' to adopt an endo friendly lifestyle but somehow you always slip back into those bad habits.

 

Our conscious thoughts are just the very tip of the iceberg when it comes to our minds. So, when we make decisions to adjust our habits consciously, it is unsurprising that they often don't stick.

 

Hypnosis offers you access to your vast unconscious mind, providing you with the tools you need to make changes at a deeper, more permanent level.

 

 

3. Manage stress

 

Though science has yet to provide concrete links between stress and endometriosis in humans, the anecdotal evidence is definitely out there. And, if you weren’t stressed before your endometriosis symptoms appeared, you probably are now!

 

Stress and anxiety are the body’s natural defences against danger. They trigger the your fight or flight response which, in turn, rallies your body’s resources to fuel a rapid retreat or an attack.

 

When your stressors are your endo symptoms or a long to do list than a raging tiger, the fight or flight response is rarely the most appropriate response. The racing heart, dilated pupils and oxygen pumping to your skeletal muscles may propel you to safety in the short term, but we need to find ways to stay in rest and repair mode to give our bodies the best chance to heal. Hypnosis offers you access to your vast unconscious mind, providing you with the tools you need to make changes at a deeper, more permanent level.

 

 

 

4. Support Fertility

 

About 30% of women with endometriosis have difficulties with fertility and struggle to get pregnant. This is thought to be the result of scarring, adhesions and poor egg quality. Although, it is important to remember that far more women with endo have children without difficulty.

These statistics, pressure to get pregnant as soon as possible (to increase chances of conception), possible IVF treatment and, once pregnant, fears about the effects of endometriosis on pregnancy and delivery can create a rollercoaster of emotions: worry, confusion, feelings of inadequacy, anger, stress, sadness, depression, grief and sometimes a feeling of being let down by your body.

Hypnotherapy can help you to work through your emotions and support you on your journey to pregnancy and birth.

 

5. Use visualisations to balance hormones

 

You need only conjure up an erotic thought to verify that our thoughts have a physical impact on our bodies. Many of these are noticeable. If you are scared or anxious, your heart races, embarrassment causes blushing and remembering something happy can make you smile. This happens even more frequently on an unconscious level.

 

Hypnotherapy is a fantastic tool for enhancing the body’s natural processes, using visualisation techniques to communicate with our vast and wise unconscious mind.

 

 

 

If you are curious to find out more about how hypnotherapy and other mind/body techniques can help you to manage endometriosis, call Kerry on 07748660703 or email her at [email protected]


 

i) Case Reports in Obstetrics and Gynecology