There has been limited research on the efficacy of acupuncture for treating endometriosis-related pain. Current literature suggests that acupuncture has the ability to reduce pain and serum CA-125 levels. Higher levels of CA-125 have been reported in more advanced stages of endometriosis.
A systemic review found that acupuncture can alleviate the pain of dysmenorrhoea and reduce peripheral blood CA-125. As a result, the therapy could be applied as a complementary treatment for endometriosis-related pain. Due to limitations of the original studies, additional studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Acupuncture may serve as a complement or alternative to these treatments. The pain-alleviating effects of acupuncture have been attributed to various physiological and psychological processes, such as activation of endogenous descending pain inhibitory systems, deactivation of brain areas that transmit pain-related signals, interaction between nociceptive impulses and somato-visceral reflexes, and the expectation of symptom relief.
Patients have self-reported using complementary and alternative therapies, like acupuncture, as an important part of their self-management techniques.
Resources
The following resources provide more information on acupuncture for endometriosis and pelvic pain:
- Effects of Acupuncture for the Treatment of Endometriosis-related Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis examines the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for endometriosis-related pain.
- Is Acupuncture in Addition to Conventional Medicine Effective as Pain Treatment for Endometriosis? A Randomized Controlled Cross-over Trial examines whether acupuncture is an effective additional pain treatment for endometriosis.
- The Treatment of Pelvic Pain with Acupuncture: Part 1 presents an overview of the biomedical model of myofascial pelvic pain and its treatment using a Western acupuncture approach.
- More Than Needles: The Importance of Explanations and Self-Care Advice in Treating Primary Dysmenorrhea with Acupuncture found patients had improved symptom control and reduced pain.