Laser Acupuncture for Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a complicated, stressful, and painful disease that affects up to 15% of women between the ages of 24 and 40. With that many afflicted one would hope a variety of treatment options would be available, but unfortunately many are shouldered with the responsibility of their monthly or even daily pain and symptom management themselves.

Fortunately at Acubalance, we have treated our fair share of women suffering from endometriosis and its related pain, irregular cycles, and infertility and have developed quite a toolbox of treatment options. One of our most successful for pain management and hormone regulation is our signature laser-acupuncture treatments.

Cold Laser therapy, also known as low level laser therapy (LLLT), is a non-invasive, pain-free, light-based therapy that uses red and infrared light to target inflamed, injured and diseased tissues. Through a process called photobiomodulation, photons of light are absorbed by the body’s cells where it interacts with various intracellular biomolecules. One of the most important outcomes of this process is an increase in the amount of ATP, or cellular energy, produced by the cell. An increase in ATP results in improved cellular metabolism, DNA production, and cellular replication for replacement, regeneration, and repair of abnormal cells.

One of the most common symptoms of endometriosis is dysmenorrhea, or pelvic or abdominal pain before, during, or after the menstrual cycle. Menstrual cramps are caused by powerful chemicals called prostaglandins and arachidonic acid that induce uterine muscle contractions. Not only does low level laser therapy help modulate the inflammatory process by decreasing these pro-inflammatory markers, but it also helps the immune system increase the production of anti-inflammatory mediators.

In contrast to other therapies, laser therapy is curative rather than simply modulating any symptomatology.

One study examining the effects of laser acupuncture (the use of low level laser therapy directed on specific acupuncture points) and exercise on primary dysmenorrhea showing complete relief in 76.67% of the 30 women after three months (3 treatments per month). Another study experienced an 83% reduction of pain by stimulating acupuncture points with low level laser therapy by treating 31 women with low level laser therapy in the 5 days before their monthly period. 16 women reported satisfying results in the first month alone, with 26 completely pain free after 6 months. A study at Pusan National University of South Korea concluded that LLLT was effective in relieving dysmenorrhea. The average pain between all 44 women dropped from an 8.3 to a 3.8 after three menstrual cycles.