Psychotherapy With Somatosensory Stimulation for Endometriosis-Associated Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

摘要

The underlying causal mechanisms for endometriosis are poorly understood. There is a weak correlation between the severity of organic pathology and reported pain intensity in women with endometriosis. Both systemic hormonal therapy and surgery improve symptoms of pelvic pain, but recurrence rates are high after the medication is discontinued or following surgery. A retrospective case study (Meissner 2010; Forsch Komplementarmed 17: 314) reported that a combination of psychotherapy and somatosensory stimulation (different techniques to stimulate acupuncture points) could be effective in improving pain and infertility associated with endometriosis, preferably when combined with other elements ofmultimodal pain therapy.