Endometriosis is a word that can carry a lot of weight for many women—pain, confusion, frustration, and often, a long journey toward answers. At Five Seasons Healing, we offer a different lens to understand what’s happening in your body—one that is rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and offers both clinical depth and whole-person compassion.
What is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a condition in which endometrial-like tissue—tissue similar to the lining of the uterus—grows outside of the uterus. This tissue responds to the hormonal cycle just like the uterine lining does, which can lead to pain, inflammation, scar tissue, and sometimes, challenges with fertility.
Who Is Affected?
Endometriosis affects an estimated 1 in 10 women of reproductive age, though it often goes undiagnosed for years. It tends to impact women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, especially those experiencing painful periods, digestive discomfort around menstruation, or unexplained fertility issues—even when hormone labs and imaging look “normal.”
What Are the Symptoms?
One of the more confusing aspects of Endometriosis is that symptoms don’t always follow a clear pattern. Some women experience intense pain and fatigue, while others may have no noticeable symptoms until they begin trying to conceive. It can be invisible from the outside—yet deeply impactful internally.
Common symptoms include:
- Painful menstruation (dysmenorrhea)
- Chronic pelvic pain (before or after menstruation)
- Pain during intercourse
- Bloating or digestive symptoms around the cycle
- Fatigue and low energy, especially during the luteal phase
- Painful bowel movements or urination during menstruation
- Spotting between periods
- Difficulty conceiving, even when hormone levels are “normal”
No two people experience it the same way, which is why a personalized, holistic view is so important.
Typical Western Treatments
Treatment typically includes hormonal therapies (like birth control pills, IUDs, or GnRH agonists), anti-inflammatory medications, or laparoscopic surgery to remove lesions. These can provide symptom relief, but many women are left wondering, “Why did this happen in the first place?” or “Why doesn’t this approach fully work for me?”
This is where Chinese medicine shines—by helping to uncover the root imbalance beneath the symptoms.
How TCM Understands Endometriosis and One Possible Pattern: Kidney Yang Deficiency
In TCM, Endometriosis is seen as a condition of internal imbalance—sometimes involving blood stasis, cold accumulation, and deficient organ systems that are unable to move qi and blood and transform fluids properly.
One of the possible patterns of endometriosis we see at Five Seasons Healing is Kidney Yang Deficiency.
The Kidney system in Chinese medicine is central to reproductive health. Yang energy is the warming, activating force that drives circulation and transformation—especially in the uterus. When Kidney Yang is deficient, the body can become too cold and sluggish, creating a perfect environment for blood and tissue to stagnate.
This pattern often presents with:
- Cold sensations in the lower abdomen
- Pain that feels deep, dull, and improves with warmth
- Low libido
- Fatigue, especially in the morning
- Slow metabolism or frequent cold hands and feet
- Feeling “stuck” emotionally or physically
This hypo-functioning state is key to understanding how stagnation and buildup—hallmarks of Endometriosis—can take root.
It’s important to know: Endometriosis is rarely caused by just one pattern in Chinese medicine. In fact, most women fall between multiple patterns such as Liver Qi Stagnation, Spleen Damp Accumulation, or Kidney Yin Deficiency with Heat, to name a few. But Kidney Yang Deficiency is one we see very often, especially when cold, pain, and fatigue are part of the picture.
Endometriosis, Fertility, and “Normal” Hormone Labs
One of the most frustrating experiences for many women is being told that “everything looks normal” on hormone labs—even when they don’t feel well, and are struggling to get pregnant.
TCM validates that experience. You don’t need abnormal lab results to have a real, energetic imbalance in your body. Weak Kidney Yang can impair blood flow to the uterus and slow down reproductive function—without leaving a trace on your labs. That’s why so many of our patients come to us feeling unseen or dismissed—and why they often find relief through a TCM approach.
How TCM Cares For You
At Five Seasons Healing, we approach Endometriosis not just as a diagnosis, but as an opportunity to bring your body back into balance.
In the case we outlined above, we use acupuncture, herbal medicine, and lifestyle support to:
- Warm and strengthen Kidney Yang
- Move Qi and Blood to reduce stagnation
- Ease pain and regulate your cycle
- Support fertility from the root
- Guide you with diet and lifestyle tools that align with your pattern
We also listen. We ask the deeper questions. And we walk with you, step by step, through your healing process.
We often refer our patients to the NYU Endometriosis Center for imaging and surgical referrals when needed. Our goal is to give you the best of both worlds—holistic care rooted in TCM, and access to excellent biomedical resources when appropriate.
Curious About What TCM Pattern Might Be Driving Your Symptoms?
Take our quiz: Are Your Hormones Imbalanced According to Traditional Chinese Medicine? It’s a quick and insightful way to find out which of the five most common patterns could be at play—and what your next steps toward balance and healing might be.
If you’ve been navigating Endometriosis, know that your experience is valid, and you are not alone. There are deeper reasons your body may be struggling—and there is a path toward relief and reconnection with your vitality. We’re here to help you find it.
If you’d like to receive personalized care and support for your Endometriosis, click here to book an appointment with one of our trained TCM practitioners.
