Painkillers and surgery are not your only options. It's a debilitating illness that affects approximately 200 million women of childbearing age worldwide. Yet, for a disease so prevalent, endometriosis remains frequently underdiagnosed and untreated, not to mention misunderstood. You may have had to consult with various doctors before finally getting the right diagnosis. The unbearable pain you constantly experience, even outside your period, may have been dismissed by your bosses or co-workers as laziness or being over-dramatic. Your friends may not be able to grasp why you're canceling on them yet again, because your condition affects not only your body, but your emotions as well. Because even doctors still don't completely understand endometriosis, its treatment can vary in terms of effectiveness. Often, treatment is focused on managing pain, only providing temporary relief and not actually addressing the underlying issues. However, with a holistic approach, you can get to the bottom of what's causing your symptoms and harness your own body to fight back.