October 21, 2024, 11:39 am | Read time: 4 minutes
Endometriosis is a disease that severely restricts the lives of many women. However, a globally unique treatment approach from Giessen brings new hope – especially for women who are completely exhausted by their pain.
Every week, women from all over Germany and abroad come to the Endometriosis Center at Giessen University Hospital. Often in desperate search of relief from their chronic pain. These women suffer from unbearable pain in the abdominal and pelvic area, bladder problems, and often an unfulfilled desire to have children. It is estimated that endometriosis affects up to 10 percent of all women of childbearing age. It is also one of the most common causes of chronic pelvic pain. Particularly distressing is that the pain not only occurs during periods but is often permanent. This has a considerable impact on the daily lives of those affected. It is often diagnosed late. On average, it takes up to ten years for women to discover their symptoms.
Overview
Innovative endometriosis pain relief through neurostimulation
For many women who find conventional pain therapies like painkillers, hormone treatments, or surgeries insufficient, neurostimulation at Giessen University Hospital could be the breakthrough they need. This is a new type of method. Electrodes are used to deliver electrical impulses directly to the nerve strands in the pelvic area, which are responsible for pain sensation. A small neurostimulator, inserted via a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure, generates these impulses. “By delivering electrical pulses, the neurostimulator modulates nerve activity, which not only suppresses the pain memory but also corrects bladder and bowel dysfunction,” says neurosurgeon Prof. Malgorzata Kolodziej.
The results are promising: in an initial study with 22 patients, the pain was significantly reduced in all women. Subsequently, 40 percent of these women were able to completely forgo the use of strong pain medications, including opioids. For women who have suffered from persistent pain for a long time, this means a new lease of life. This frees them from the constant burden of medication and its side effects.
More control over pain
A significant advantage of neurostimulation is that patients can control the intensity of the electrical impulses themselves. With the help of a hand-held device, the strength of the current can be individually adjusted depending on the pain level. Should the pain intensify, such as from physical activity, patients can adjust the intensity, exerting direct control over their pain. This self-management of pain restores a measure of quality of life for many women.
Long-term pain relief and fewer side effects
Unlike many other treatments for endometriosis, which often only offer short-term relief from symptoms, neurostimulation can provide long-term improvement. The pain is suppressed, and the electrical impulses specifically influence the nerves. In addition, this method does not cause any permanent damage to the nerves or pelvic area. If necessary, the device can be removed.
However, the neurostimulator must be replaced every eight years. Nevertheless, the experts at the Endometriosis Center Giessen see this method as a promising alternative for women who have not yet been able to find an effective solution to their pain.
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The hope of a pain-free life
Neurostimulation offered at Giessen University Hospital is a beacon of hope for women who have endured the severe pain of endometriosis for years. Finally, there is a method that specifically targets the pain, empowering sufferers to reclaim a self-determined life free from the constant burden of pain. With this innovative treatment method, neurosurgeon Prof. Malgorzata Kolodziej and gynecologist Prof. Ivo Meinhold-Heerlein have created a new perspective for women who often see no other way of getting their pain under control. “This method makes women more active. They suddenly have partners; they can go out to eat, and they can work. Reflecting on their experiences, many patients share that their lives have been transformed. They now enjoy a genuine quality of life,” says Kolodziej.