Treating Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain with Functional Medicine with Dr. Jessica Drummond

Conversations for Health

Dr. Jessica Drummond, DCN, CNS, PT, NBC-HWC, is the founder and CEO of The Integrative Women’s Health Institute, The Outsmart Endo Health Coaching Program, and the creator of the Women’s Health Coach Certification. She is passionate about caring for and empowering people who struggle with women’s and pelvic health concerns. She is equally passionate about educating and supporting clinicians and wellness professionals in confidently and safely using integrative tools to transform women’s and pelvic healthcare. Dr. Drummond has two decades of clinical experience as a licensed physical therapist, licensed clinical nutritionist, and board-certified health coach working with women with pelvic pain, including endometriosis, vulvodynia, and bladder pain syndrome. She brings a unique, conservative, and integrative approach to supporting women to overcome hormonal imbalances and chronic pain conditions. She is a sought-after international speaker on topics such as integrative pelvic pain management, natural fertility options, optimal hormone health, menopause, and female athlete nutrition. Dr. Drummond was educated at the University of Virginia, Emory University, Duke Integrative Medicine, and Maryland University of Integrative Health.

Together Dr. Jessica and I discuss pelvic pain conditions, including endometriosis, and her journey with long COVID. She highlights the signs that indicate pelvic pain is more serious than period pain and shares what screening steps to take next to achieve optimal women's health from the earliest stage. She shares resources for supporting women’s health and increasing endometriosis education from school age, defines the relationship of endometriosis, hysterectomies, and fertility, and underscores the importance of starting with the nervous system in healing pelvic pain. She also shares her experience with long COVID as a practitioner and details how her own journey has changed her approach to helping patients heal.

I’m your host, Evelyne Lambrecht, thank you for designing a well world with us.

Episode Resources:

Dr. Jessica Drummond - https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/

Endo What? - https://endowhat.com/

Below the Belt Film - https://www.belowthebelt.film/

Designs for Health - https://www.designsforhealth.com/

Nutrition Blog: Clinical Studies Investigate the Role of Micronutrients to Support Menstrual Comfort - https://www.casi.org/clinical-studies-micronutrients-support-menstrual-comfort

Science Update: Review Explores Role of Micronutrients, Antioxidative Status, and Endometrial Health - https://www.casi.org/role-micronutrients-antioxidative-status-endometrial-health

Science Update: Recent Review Explores Relationship Between Pain Perception and the Gut Microbiome - https://www.casi.org/node/1567

Visit the Designs for Health Research and Education Library which houses medical journals, protocols, webinars, and our blog.

https://www.designsforhealth.com/research-and-education/education

Chapters:

00:00 Intro.

02:16 How common is pelvic pain and what does it encompass?

7:14 Jessica’s background and the career milestones that led her to work with women’s pelvic health.

10:15 Signs that pelvic pain is more serious than period pain and what screening steps to take next.

16:00 Resources for supporting women’s health and increasing endometriosis education from school age.

20:55 The ‘terrible triplets’ of common syndromes that can be addressed by a functional nutrition practitioner can assess for.

22:48 Diagnosing endometriosis at every age of a woman’s life, and the relationship of endometriosis, hysterectomies, and fertility.

28:35 The importance of starting with the nervous system in healing pelvic pain.

32:52 Symptoms and causes of endometriosis, genetic SNPs, and optimizing valve functions.

35:24 Endometriosis surgery requirements, preparations, effectiveness, and recovery.

39:55 Nervous system regulation through effective supplements and physical practices.

44:19 Digestive support and supplements to assist endometriosis healing.

46:05 Jessica’s experience and lessons learned from long COVID as a practitioner.

54:36 Lifestyle and supplement tools that proved helpful to Jessica through long COVID.

1:06:45 Demographics of long COVID risks and sufferers.

1:07:45 Jessica’s supplement list, favorite health practices, and the approach to patients that she has changed her mind about over the years.