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Managing Daily Life
Endometriosis affects every woman differently; therefore, there is no universally effective treatment. Yet, various adjustments in lifestyle, home remedies, treatment tactics, and prescription medications might make this illness more tolerable daily.
Read reading to find out what you may do to ease endometriosis pain and other symptoms.
Ways to alleviate pain
Endometriosis pain relief varies from person to person. Discovering a method to alleviate your discomfort may require trial and error.
Here are some remedies that may help alleviate your symptoms:
- Purchase a heat pack
- Some women might rather use a rice sock than a heating pad. Taking a clean sock, filling it with uncooked rice, then heating it in the microwave for up to two minutes develops a system for delivering heat to painful muscles.
- Take warm baths. Warm baths help relax your muscles and relieve cramping pain.
- Maintain hydration. Consuming copious amounts of water might alleviate bloating and cramping. On very challenging days, dehydration may be an issue.
- Consider a TENS unit. TENS machines emit vibrations that relieve pain and relax muscles. You can test out a TENS unit at a physical therapist or purchase a cheap one online.
Maintain medications on hand such as ibuprofen and paracetamol that can be taken for endometriosis.
How to manage pain
You may not be able to eliminate endometriosis pain. But this does not imply that you must be paralysed by the pain’s effects. It does not imply that you should pretend the pain does not exist. To effectively manage pain, one must be prepared to address symptoms before they manifest.
Here are some suggestions for managing your symptoms:
- Use an app to monitor your symptoms. Several period tracking applications. Using this function to anticipate how your cycle will affect your symptoms and pain.
- Keep a healthy lifestyle. Your body will feel its best if you take care of it by not smoking, not binge-drinking alcohol, and avoiding medications.
- Plan You are familiar with your body, and managing endometriosis requires you to get even more acquainted with it. On the days of your cycle when you believe your symptoms will flare, give yourself more time to go to events and get ready for work.
- Plan for self-care. Relaxing, listening to your body, and incorporating your endometriosis requirements into your schedule will help you feel in control of your symptoms.
- Eat veggies. About the causes of endometriosis, there is still much unknown. One study, however, found a correlation between low vegetable consumption and endometriosis. Also, most veggies are strong in fibre, which helps aid digestion during your period.
- Understand that fatty acids are your ally. In general, you may feel better if you consume meals rich in omega-3 fatty acids with long chain lengths. Omega-3 fatty acids may also reduce endometriosis symptoms.
- Go natural. Dioxin, a toxin found in certain pesticides and animal sources of food, may cause endometriosis. By reducing on animal products that you consume and attempting to follow a low-gluten and organic diet as much as you can, you will be cutting your exposure to environmental chemicals like dioxin.
- Try acupuncture. Researchers have a positive outlook about acupuncture as a pain treatment tool for endometriosis, reliable source.
Ways to alleviate related stress
Persistent pain can increase your cortisol levels, altering your response to stress. When cortisol levels remain elevated over time, they might cause an imbalance in hormones, which can exacerbate endometriosis.
Learning stress-relief techniques could help you maintain low cortisol levels and diminish your symptoms over time.
Here are a few suggestions for relieving stress:
- Meditate. Apps can take you through the process of mastering this age-old technique. Even five minutes of daily meditation can alleviate stress.
- Cultivate mindfulness is a component of meditation that requires embracing and maintaining awareness of one’s surroundings. Mindfulness has been demonstrated to alleviate the symptoms of anxiety.
- Consider aromatherapy using essential oils. Employing a diffuser and a few drops of your preferred calming fragrance will help you relax. Lavender oil and cinnamon oil are both well-known essential oils for anxiety relief.
- Consume herbal teas It is well known that drinking decaffeinated green tea, ginger tea, and camomile tea is a simple and quick way to relax. To reduce stress, try including a warm beverage into your nightly ritual.
- Practice yoga. Yoga has been established as an excellent endometriosis pain control strategy. In addition, it reduces stress.
- Do breathing exercises. Breathing methods are easy to learn and can be performed anywhere. These approaches can de-escalate your stress levels and help you feel less discomfort.
- Take vitamin D and vitamin B pills. Vitamin D is referred to as the “happy supplement” because to its ability to reduce anxiety and despair. Vitamin B boosts your energy on days when your endometriosis symptoms are at their worst.
- Visit a natural area such as a nearby garden or park may reduce your tension.
- Go running. Running, strength training, and other aerobic exercises assist the body manage stress. They can also aid in reducing adverse effects some Analgesics.
Here are some suggestions for maintaining your quality of life:
Be truthful with yourself. You do not have to do things you do not want to do or give up things because they are daunting due to endometriosis. Often evaluate how you feel about your condition.
Be truthful with others. Inform your friends and family about your diagnosis. Inform them beforehand that you may occasionally need to stay home to care for your endometriosis. This dialogue will help them understand if you opt to forego some occasions to tend to your needs in the future.
Locate a point of contact at work. While you may be upfront about your health with friends and family, having a close colleague who cares about how you feel can help you feel less isolated. In addition, this means there is someone in your corner if you are taking days off for treatment or doctor’s appointments.
Travel prepared. Having an endometriosis care kit in your car, at your desk, or in your luggage can guarantee that you never lack the necessary supplies. Travel-sized heat wraps, pain reliever packets, and calming essential oils are all conveniently transportable wherever you go.
Locate a mental health specialist. Processing your diagnosis with a mental health professional can prevent a great deal of uncertainty and questions in the future. Endometriosis can raise your risk for anxiety and sadness, therefore consulting with a counsellor can be lifesaving.
Join our online support community group.
Fight ENDOmetriosis Support Group
Maintain optimism. “If something hurts, persist until you have an accurate diagnosis. Believe in your body and continue to struggle to feel better.”
When to visit the doctor
Endometriosis is incurable; however, symptom management is achievable. See your physician if you are still suffering particularly severe or persistent discomfort. You may need to modify your method of contraception or prescription drugs.
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Workplace Programs
Supporting workers with endometriosis in the workplace (PDF download)
This information sheet has been prepared as part of the 2018 National Action Plan on Endometriosis. It is aimed primarily at employers to increase awareness of the prevalence and impact this chronic disease has on workers and its potential impact on workplace safety.
Informing yourself about endometriosis can lead to better workplace outcomes. You will be prepared to support workers affected by endometriosis if you have a good understanding of the disease and the reasonable steps that you can take to help workers manage their symptoms. Women, girls, and other individuals with endometriosis say that having the disease recognised and acknowledged by people around them, such as their managers, can positively influence their experience.
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School Programs
When the opportunity arises, we take our interactive presentation about endometriosis, its early warning signs, and treatment options to local schools, recreation centres, and community events. Adolescents are urged to take an active role in their own health care by consulting with adults such as school nurses, parents, and doctors. The goal of this programme is to shorten the current seven-year average delay in diagnosis by educating school nurses, teachers, administrators, and parents to promote early diagnosis and treatment.
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Support Groups
Women and individuals who suffer from endometriosis can receive vital assistance and information from our support groups. Several of our groups conducted online meetings while the COVID-19 outbreak was ongoing.
As the situation progressively returns to normal, several groups are getting back to their regularly scheduled face-to-face meetings. Just clicking on the link will allow you to apply to join one of our Facebook groups, where you will be able to obtain support from other group participants.
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Help Lines in Australia
- Emergency 000
- Lifeline Australia 13 11 14
- Nurse On Call 1300 606 024
- Health Direct 1800 022 222
- 13 Health 13 432 584
- Chronic Pain Help Line 1800 340 357