Holistic Approaches in Endometriosis - as an Effective Method of Supporting Traditional Treatment: A Systematic Search and Narrative Review.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine the effectiveness of non-medical methods, including acupuncture, in treating symptoms associated with endometriosis, focusing on pain relief and quality of life improvement.
Results Summary
Acupuncture was found to reduce pain and improve quality of life in women with endometriosis, with no reported negative side effects. It was part of a holistic approach that included physical therapy, manual therapy, and psychological interventions.
Population
Women with endometriosis, excluding those with cancer.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
physical therapy | decrease | symptoms of endometriosis | women with endometriosis | - | most holistic approach used in the treatment of symptoms | #1 |
manual therapy | decrease | symptoms of endometriosis | women with endometriosis | - | most holistic approach used in the treatment of symptoms | #2 |
electrophysical agents | decrease | symptoms of endometriosis | women with endometriosis | - | most holistic approach used in the treatment of symptoms | #3 |
acupuncture | decrease | symptoms of endometriosis | women with endometriosis | - | most holistic approach used in the treatment of symptoms | #4 |
diet | decrease | symptoms of endometriosis | women with endometriosis | - | most holistic approach used in the treatment of symptoms | #5 |
psychological interventions | decrease | symptoms of endometriosis | women with endometriosis | - | most holistic approach used in the treatment of symptoms | #6 |
non-medical methods | decrease | symptoms of endometriosis | women with endometriosis | - | showed reduction | #7 |
physical activity | decrease | pain | women with endometriosis | - | showed no negative side effects and reduced pain | #8 |
manual therapy | decrease | pain | women with endometriosis | - | showed no negative side effects and reduced pain | #9 |
electrophysical agents | decrease | pain | women with endometriosis | - | showed no negative side effects and reduced pain | #10 |
acupuncture | decrease | pain | women with endometriosis | - | showed no negative side effects and reduced pain | #11 |
diet | decrease | pain | women with endometriosis | - | showed no negative side effects and reduced pain | #12 |
cognitive behavioral therapy | decrease | pain | women with endometriosis | - | showed no negative side effects and reduced pain | #13 |
physical activity | increase | quality of life | women with endometriosis | - | improved | #14 |
manual therapy | increase | quality of life | women with endometriosis | - | improved | #15 |
electrophysical agents | increase | quality of life | women with endometriosis | - | improved | #16 |
acupuncture | increase | quality of life | women with endometriosis | - | improved | #17 |
diet | increase | quality of life | women with endometriosis | - | improved | #18 |
cognitive behavioral therapy | increase | quality of life | women with endometriosis | - | improved | #19 |
physical activity | decrease | perceived stress | women with endometriosis | - | reduced | #20 |
manual therapy | decrease | perceived stress | women with endometriosis | - | reduced | #21 |
electrophysical agents | decrease | perceived stress | women with endometriosis | - | reduced | #22 |
acupuncture | decrease | perceived stress | women with endometriosis | - | reduced | #23 |
diet | decrease | perceived stress | women with endometriosis | - | reduced | #24 |
cognitive behavioral therapy | decrease | perceived stress | women with endometriosis | - | reduced | #25 |
Endometriosis is one of the gynecological diseases where women suffer from pain, quality of life decreased. The aim of this review was to describe the most common non-medical methods used in the treatment of symptoms associated with endometriosis and to determine their effectiveness. The review was performed in PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases. Randomized controlled trials, case studies, observational studies, retrospective studies, prospective studies, pilot studies, trails, publications in English or Polish were searched based on the Participant-Intervention-Comparator-Outcomes-Study design (PICOS) format. The criteria used to select studies were: women with endometriosis, no cancer, included any physiotherapeutic or non-medical intervention. 3706 articles were found, however only 26 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Quality of the studies was assessed by Risk of Bias 2 tool and ROBINS-1 tool. The most holistic approach used in the treatment of symptoms of endometriosis include physical therapy, manual therapy, electrophysical agents acupuncture, diet and psychological interventions. Most research has focused on relieving pain and increasing quality of life. Non-medical methods showed reduction of symptoms of endometriosis. Physical activity, manual therapy, electrophysical agents, acupuncture, diet and cognitive behavioral therapy showed no negative side effects and reduced pain, what improved the quality of life and reduced the perceived stress.