Endometriosis & Adenomyosis: Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine in Windsor, Melbourne
Integrative Chinese medicine for addressing Endometriosis, Adenomyosis and pelvic pain, so you can feel free to live your best life.
Endometriosis affects approximately 1 in 9 Australian women, yet the average time to diagnosis is still over seven years. If you’ve been living with debilitating period pain, pelvic pain, or fatigue, and feel like you haven’t had the support you deserve, you’re not alone.
At Four Gates Chinese Medicine in Windsor, we offer endometriosis acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine to women across Melbourne who are looking for more than symptom management. We help to manage pain, regulate hormones, decrease inflammation and improve your quality of life. We work collaboratively alongside as part of your health team, alongside your GP, gynaecologist or fertility specialist.
What is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a chronic condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus — on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bowel, bladder. Each month, this tissue responds to hormonal changes and swells and bleeds, with nowhere to go, leading to inflammation, scar tissue, adhesions, and pain.
Symptoms include:
- Severe, debilitating period pain
- Pelvic pain throughout the cycle
- Pain during or after sex
- Heavy or irregular periods
- Fatigue and low energy
- Fertility challenges
- Mood changes, anxiety, or depression
What about Adenomyosis?
Adenomyosis is a related condition in which endometrial-like tissue grows into the muscular wall of the uterus itself, causing it to become enlarged and the uterine walls to thicken. It commonly causes very heavy bleeding, severe cramping, a sensation of pelvic pressure, and profound fatigue.
The two conditions can occur together, and from a Chinese medicine perspective, both involve disrupted circulation of qi and blood in the pelvic region.
My approach:
I take the time to understand the full picture: your pain pattern, your cycle, your energy and your stress load. No two women with endometriosis present the same way, which is why treatment is always personalised.
Treatment typically combines acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and dietary and lifestyle guidance. For endometriosis and adenomyosis, I recommend regular acupuncture for the first 6–12 weeks alongside daily herbal medicine, tracking changes across your cycles and adjusting as your symptoms improve.
How does Chinese Medicine work with Endometriosis?
Chinese medicine has been addressing painful periods for thousands of years, long before endometriosis had a name. Symptoms like cramping pain, dark clotted blood, cyclical pelvic pain, fatigue, form patterns that classical Chinese medicine recognised and treated in detail.
In Chinese medicine, endometriosis is linked to impeded circulation of blood through the uterus and pelvis, like a river that’s become sluggish or blocked. Instead of moving freely each month, blood pools and stagnates, causing pain and inflammation, and over time scar tissue and adhesions.
Several things can worsen this: chronic stress and tension restrict circulation, cold (especially during your period) causes the uterus to cramp and contract, and hormonal imbalances and immune dysregulation add further complexity. The goal of treatment is to get things flowing smoothly again, in a way that works for your unique pattern.
How can Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine help Endometriosis?
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are thought to support several of the key mechanisms driving symptoms of endometriosis:
- Pain relief — acupuncture is thought to modulate prostaglandins and beta-endorphins, and may help reduce the central sensitisation that amplifies pain in chronic endometriosis (1)(2)(3).
- Reducing inflammation — research suggests acupuncture may downregulate pro-inflammatory cytokines, helping reduce the chronic inflammatory state that drives both pain and lesion activity (1)(2).
- Hormonal regulation — acupuncture is thought to influence the HPO axis, supporting more balanced oestrogen and progesterone signalling (5).
- Improving pelvic circulation — studies using Doppler ultrasound have documented improvements in uterine blood flow following acupuncture (6).
- Nervous system regulation — supporting a shift from sympathetic (stress) to parasympathetic (rest and restore) activity, which may reduce the overall pain response (7).
As a registered AHPRA practitioner, I’m required to note that while research is promising and growing, individual results vary. Acupuncture and herbal medicine are complementary support, not a replacement for medical care or surgery where indicated.
→ Read more: Endometriosis and Chinese medicine — what does the research actually show?
Chinese Herbal Medicine for Endometriosis and Adenomyosis
In my experience, herbal medicine is often the most essential piece for women with endometriosis or adenomyosis. Taken daily, herbs work at a cellular and hormonal level, addressing the underlying terrain that has allowed endometriosis to thrive. This deeper focus is key for sustainable change.
A herbal formula is built around your individual pattern, with the herbs working together as a team. Some women need warming and blood-moving herbs, others need cooling and anti-inflammatory herbs, and most need a combination that can change across the cycle. All herbs are sourced from TGA-approved, quality-tested suppliers and are only prescribed after a thorough consultation.
One of the most researched formulas for endometriosis is Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan, which has been studied for its effects on pain and pelvic circulation. A 2024 meta-analysis of 9 randomised controlled trials found it was associated with reductions in pain, CA-125 levels and the size of endometriotic cysts (4).
→ Read more: Chinese herbal medicine for endometriosis — the herbs and formulas I use
What to expect
Your first appointment (60 minutes) is an in depth conversation about your health history, cycle, pain pattern, energy, sleep and overall wellbeing. This information allows me to form a Chinese medicine diagnosis of your specific pattern, and create a personalised treatment plan.
I see women at all stages of their endometriosis journey:
- Newly diagnosed and wanting to explore natural options alongside conventional medicine
- Managing symptoms long-term and wanting to reduce reliance on pain medication
- Preparing for or recovering from surgery
- Navigating endometriosis-related fertility challenges, whether trying naturally or with IVF
- Living with adenomyosis, heavy bleeding and severe dysmenorrhoea
Written by Dr Mary-Jo Bevin (TCM) | AHPRA-registered Doctor of Chinese Medicine | 20+ years clinical experience in women’s health | Windsor, Melbourne.
Frequently Asked Questions.
No — endometriosis is a chronic condition and there is currently no cure with any treatment, conventional or natural. What acupuncture and Chinese medicine can do is meaningfully reduce pain, improve quality of life, support hormonal balance, and reduce inflammation. Many women find they can significantly reduce or eliminate their need for pain medication with consistent treatment.
(As an AHPRA-registered health professional, I am limited in the claims I can make online about the efficacy and results I get for my patients, and can’t publish testimonials.)
Most women notice some improvement within 2–3 treatment cycles. Because endometriosis is a cyclical condition, it takes time to see how your pattern is changing across multiple menstrual cycles, and to make any necessary adjustments. I generally recommend a 3-month commitment to treatment to give a fair assessment of results.
As Chinese medicine addresses the underlying cause you can expect to feel “better in yourself” – calmer and more energised – as your condition also improves.
Yes. Acupuncture and herbal medicine are commonly used after laparoscopic surgery to support recovery, reduce post-surgical inflammation, prevent adhesion formation, and help maintain the benefits of surgery. Many women find that consistent Chinese medicine treatment after surgery helps extend the symptom-free period.
In most cases, yes — Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture can complement hormonal therapies. I will take a full list of your current medications at your first consultation and can liaise with your prescribing doctor if needed. Some herbs may be adjusted or substituted depending on your medical treatment plan.
Yes, if your private health insurance includes acupuncture. All practitioners at Four Gates are registered with AHPRA, and we have HICAPS available at the clinic, so you can claim your rebate on the spot and only pay the gap.
The two conditions overlap significantly in their Chinese medicine presentation and treatment approach. The main difference is that adenomyosis often involves heavier bleeding and a bulky uterus, which influences the specific herbs and protocols I use. Both are treated through the same blood-moving, inflammation-reducing framework, adjusted for your individual pattern.
REFERENCES
- Chen C, et al. Acupuncture for endometriosis-related pain: systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2024;310(4):2101–2114.
- Zhang Q, et al. Mechanisms of acupuncture-electroacupuncture on inflammatory pain. Molecular Pain. 2023;19:17448069231202882.
- Lyu Z, et al. Neuroglial crosstalk and central sensitisation in acupuncture analgesia. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021;2021:8881557. 10.1155/2021/8881557
- Qin Y, et al. Guizhi Fuling capsules/pills combined with dienogest for endometriosis: meta-analysis of 9 RCTs. Medicine. 2024;103(49):e40528.
- Ma J, et al. Acupuncture and the HPO axis: neuroendocrine mechanisms. J Integr Neuroscience. 2025;24(10).
- Guo X, et al. Effects of Acupuncture on Uterine Hemodynamics and Early-Phase Pain Relief in Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Retrospective Cohort Study. J Pain Res. 2026;19:604695
- Li S, et al. The autonomic nervous system as a link to acupuncture efficacy. Front Neuroscience. 2022;16:1038945.