Mindfulness-based psychological intervention for coping with pain in endometriosis

Abstract

Endometriosis is an important cause of pain and fatigue in fertile women. The disease is often overlooked in general medical practice, and significant delay from onset of symptoms to diagnosis and treatment is common. Severe cases cause chronic pain and reduce work ability and quality of life even after optimal medical treatment. We suggest a psychological intervention based on mindfulness techniques for dealing with pain, and report results from a pilot study with 10 endometriosis patients with chronic pain problems. Participants’ level of distress was measured with self-report questionnaires of general health status (SF-36) and endometriosis health profile (EHP-30) pre- and post-intervention and at six- and 12-month follow-ups. Results indicate significant and lasting effects on participants’ pain level, well-being, and ability to function in daily life. Although conclusions remain preliminary until tested in a randomized controlled trial, it should be noted that our findings are in line with qualitative studies in women with endometriosis, and with data on the effects of mindfulness in other chronic pain domains. We encourage further studies on this kind of intervention for women with endometriosis.