Endometriosis – Causes and Symptoms

What is Endometriosis?

Acupressure for Stomach Pain

Endometriosis is a reproductive health disorder that affects women of reproductive-age. During endometriosis, endometrial tissue grows outside of the uterine cavity / uterus, also known as the Endometrium. It occurs on the ovaries, ligaments supporting the womb, bowel, bladder and other areas within the pelvis. Although it is very uncommon, tissue can also develop elsewhere such as abdominal wall, liver, belly button and lungs.

The hormonal changes of your menstrual cycle affect the misplaced endometrial tissue, causing the area to become inflamed and painful, which leads to growth of the tissue even beyond your uterus. Over time, this trapped tissue creates pressure within your lower pelvic region. Because it has nowhere to go–and remains trapped over time–it breaks down further still, hence why you might experience heightened pain during your period.

The cause of endometriosis is unknown, but there are some theories about what could cause this disorder. In most cases it’s due to a combination of factors that may range from an environmental or immunological contribution or something that was inherited from a family member or passed down over the generations. It can be useful to think of the implants as being like blisters containing endometrium lining expelled during menstruation and trapped in places it wasn’t supposed to go. The body forms scar tissue (adhesions) internally around the affected areas. The adhesions can cause damage to the pelvic organs causing them to stick together or even stick to other organs. Over time the endometrial tissue may become damaged and enlarge forming cysts, especially in the ovaries.

Endometriosis is quite a common disease and affects around 10 percent of women (190 million) globally. Many women manage to live happy and fulfilling lives alongside the condition.

Symptoms and Indications of Endometriosis 

Symptoms of endometriosis do vary from person to person. Some women experience mild symptoms, while others can have moderate to severe symptoms ranging from mild to debilitating. The severity of your pain doesn’t indicate the stage or degree of the condition. It’s also possible to have a severe form and have very little discomfort, or a diagnosis that doesn’t manifest in terribly painful symptoms even if the disease is advanced.

Indications of endometriosis range from vaginal bleeding between periods, particularly after intercourse, pain in your lower abdomen during menstruation and/or the pelvic area. In some cases, women may not experience physical symptoms but will be diagnosed with endometriosis due to irregularities in their reproductive organs.

Symptoms of Endometriosis include:

  • Painful periods
  • Pain in the lower abdomen before and/or during menstruation
  • Cramps one or two weeks around menstruation
  • Heavy menstrual bleeding or bleeding between periods 
  • Infertility
  • Pain followin seudal intercourse
  • Discomfort with bowel movements 
  • Lower back pain that can occur during any time during of your menstrual cycle 
  • Headaches/migraines
  • Nausea

You may not notice any symptoms at all. It is important that you make sure you get your annual physicals to be certain of the changes in your body. This is especially if you are experiencing two or more common symptoms.

Causes of Endometriosis 

There is no clear answer as to the real cause of endometriosis. There are multiple theories but none have been scientifically proven. 

One of the oldest theories is that endometriosis occurs as a result of a process called retrograde menstruation. In this case, menstrual blood flows back through your fallopian tubes and into your pelvic cavity instead of leaving your body through the vagina.

Another theory is that hormones act like menstruation by creating their transformation of cells outside the uterus into cells similar to those lining the inside of the uterus, known as endometrial cells.

Others believe that endometriosis may be caused by small pockets of tissue in your abdomen that become filled with uterine cells. They become that way because these cells start out as embryonic stem cells, which can grow into organs or more specific organs like the uterus. It’s not entirely understood why this happens.

Displaced endometrial cells continue to grow, thicken, and bleed over the course of your menstrual cycle in response to your hormones.

If you’re wanting to know more about endometriosis, how it might be affecting you and how it can be managed, contact us at Centre of Balance to book an initial exam with a professional. 

Our Offer to You

Fill in our online questionnaire for free – and save the $135 it would cost you to do this detailed medical history in person with a practitioner.  You can request a phone call from a practitioner after they have read your online form, or just book your initial exam for $40.  Call us on 07 846 7956 to book, or fill in the questionnaire now.

References 

https://www.healthline.com/health/endometriosis

https://www.drmww.co.nz/endometriosis

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Monica

I am originally from Hebei province in China. I hold a NZ bachelor’s degree of health and science with a major in acupuncture. I am honoured to be an acupuncturist at Centre of Balance. Helping patients to alleviate their pain brings me the greatest joy. Chinese medicine emphasises the unity of human beings and nature. During the treatment, I hope to not only relieve your pain but also help you to understand the principles behind acupuncture’s effectiveness, as well as the significant impact of diet, emotions, lifestyle habits, and living environments on disease recovery. Self-healing is an ability that our bodies are naturally endowed with.

I studied acupuncture in New Zealand and completed one and a half years of supervised clinical internship before graduating. In the early stage of my training, I mainly worked with patients experiencing neck, shoulder, and lower back pain. Under the guidance of senior clinical tutors, I gradually developed hands-on experience and confidence in treating musculoskeletal pain conditions.
As my clinical exposure expanded, I began treating a wider range of internal conditions. Alongside traditional acupuncture, I was introduced to Umbilical Acupuncture and Tungs-acupuncture Points. What interested me most about these approaches is that they often do not require needling directly at the painful area, yet can still achieve very effective results.
I was especially inspired by observing my supervisor use Umbilical Acupuncture to treat common conditions such as insomnia, menstrual irregularities, and even rheumatoid arthritis, with very positive outcomes. Another supervisor was highly skilled in Tungs-acupuncture Points and achieved excellent results in treating pain, infertility, menstrual disorders, and a variety of women’s health conditions. After completing my studies and entering clinical practice, once I observed Dr. Szenan Phua using Tungs-acupuncture points to help cancer patients relieve pain, which further strengthened my trust in this treatment method.
I later completed training in Dr. Tan Balance Acupuncture, which had a strong influence on the way I approach treatment. One of the most noticeable features of this method is how quickly patients often feel improvement, especially with pain conditions. Dr. Szenan Phua’s New Balance Acupuncture combines meridian regulation with structural adjustment and internal organ balancing, including techniques such as pulse balancing and spinal adjustment.
From my clinical experience, pain is rarely just a local issue. It often involves underlying organ weakness or structural imbalance. When these aspects are addressed together, treatment can be more thorough and longer-lasting. I also apply this approach to internal conditions, particularly in fertility and women’s health. This includes supporting natural conception, IVF preparation and embryo transfer, pregnancy support, early-pregnancy nausea, and late-pregnancy labour induction. I combine these treatments with concepts learned from a few additional fertility training, which has given me a broader and more flexible clinical perspective. This has reinforced my belief that acupuncture should be adapted to each individual rather than applied through fixed formulas.
Two other areas of study that have been very helpful in my clinical work are Tongue Diagnosis and Dr. Zhu’s Scalp Acupuncture. Although tongue diagnosis is taught in my standard Chinese medicine training, further study allowed me to deepen and refine my diagnostic skills.
My first formal training was in Li’s Tongue Diagnosis, which looks not only at organ patterns, but also at how different areas of the tongue reflect the body’s structure. This system also explores personality traits and changes during pregnancy, making it both clinically useful and engaging. I later attended online lectures on Yin’s Tongue Diagnosis and studied the related materials independently. this learning has helped me make clearer and more accurate pattern differentiation, allowing my acupuncture treatments to be more targeted. It covers a wide range of conditions, including skin disorders, oncology-related presentations, mental health patterns, and joint or limb problems. In practice, tongue observation often provides valuable insight even before a patient begins describing their symptoms.
In addition to the methods above, I regularly use local bloodletting techniques, which can be very effective for improving circulation, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. I also incorporate auricular (ear) acupressure and stimulation, which I commonly use for allergies, insomnia, headaches, stress management, and various internal conditions.
In my clinical work, I value taking the time to listen carefully to each patient and to understand their overall health, lifestyle, and concerns. Based on each individual’s condition, I also provide personalised dietary guidance and lifestyle or wellness advice to support overall health and long-term wellbeing. I commonly support patients with musculoskeletal pain, such as neck, shoulder, knee, and back pain, as well as stress-related conditions, sleep issues, migraines, digestive concerns, and women’s health and fertility-related conditions.