Endometriosis: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Root Causes, & Treatments | Felice Gersh, MD

Endometriosis is very common, affecting 10-15% of women. And yet it is poorly understood, under-diagnosed, and inadequately treated.
Join me for this deep dive into what we do and don't know about this often painful chronic condition that can have huge impacts on women's fertility, sexuality, mental health, and overall quality of life.
In this talk, I explain the roles of...
* retrograde menstruation
* progesterone resistance
* the endocannabinoid system
and how these three elements combine to create an improper immune response that leads to endometrial implants, inflammation, and pain.
And then I look at the different treatments available, including the pros and cons. When we understand the root causes of endometriosis, we can make better decisions about treatments so women can find relief.
Watch my talk to learn more about this challenging condition!
Watch for my latest Instagram live at / dr.felicegersh
I am a full time practicing doctor. I see patients in my office in Irvine, CA and worldwide via telemedicine. If you need more healthcare assistance than I can provide in a video series, please contact my office:
integrativemgi.com/​​
---- Contents of this video --------------------------
00:00 - What is endometriosis
01:12 - Symptoms of endometriosis
04:15 - Diagnosing endometriosis
08:04 - Surgery
10:27 - Root causes
17:28 - Retrograde Menstruation
20:57 - Pain is caused by inflammation
22:19 - Mast Cell Activation
23:08 - Conventional hormonal treatments
24:59 - Natural approaches

[@BrookeKelley-ys9ry]

Thank you for this video! I would also like to add stagnant blood is a a key factor here. It brings all the symptoms and reasons together. Why is it that most women have retrograde periods but only some have endo. Our bodies aren't able to get rid of the waste the excess estrogen and the blood that goes back into the fallopian tubes lie dormant unable to escape causing sores and inflammation. Taking a good vitamin that helps with excess estrogen like DIM and a good liver detox to help flush it out like Calcium D-Glucarate will help. Another thing is IBS is accidentally diagnosed for endo a lot because endo starts in the gut. The microbiome isn't working right and the body isn't getting rid of toxins. So starting a good probiotic prebiotic and postbiotic will start to help the IBS and get your digestion back then we can start to worry about getting rid of the estrogen and making sure we have enough progesterone.

[@missmuffinification]

This is the most helpful explanation of endometriosis that I’ve ever heard. It’s not as simple as “low progesterone” or “high estrogen,” even though those are components. Thank you Dr. Gersh!!

[@Hollowmoon007]

Why is oral micronized progesterone not prescribed first when a woman is having inflammation and autoimmune issues to see if it helps? Is anyone doing this? In addition or instead of CBD, LDN would also impact the receptors similarly and reduce inflammation.

[@equallove0]

❤

[@ttheo23]

Thank you for this, very interesting post. What would you suggest for older women like me who are not wanting anymore children, have a bulky uterus and poor quality of life due to pain and blood flow? Diet changes and supplements are great for managing symptoms but they don’t stop the growth of this disorder. I’m 48 peri menopausal and have just been diagnosed with Adenomyosis. I have been free for 20 years from synthetic hormones and now I’m being told I need a progestin coil or mini pill to manage my heavy periods and pain. There is no offer of a progesterone bio identical pill. Unfortunately most women I know with this condition young and old are having hysterectomies to deal with this which isn’t an option for me right now. Would supplementing with a topical progesterone cream help too? Thank you