Woman With Severe Endometriosis Pain Sees Her Symptoms Suddenly Vanish

Kuo used to suffer from endometriosis pain that was so intense during her period that she would faint. A meditation practice brought her relief.

Chien-Hua Kuo suffered from endometriosis for many years, but her symptoms disappeared after practicing Falun Gong for four months. Courtesy of Chien-Hua Kuo

Chien-Hua Kuo, a Taiwanese woman who suffered from endometriosis, would sometimes faint because of severe menstrual pain. Despite undergoing surgery to remove ovarian endometriomas (chocolate cysts), the condition soon recurred. How did she ultimately manage to overcome her menstrual pain?

Kuo’s menstrual pain used to start on the first day of her period and was so severe that she would often faint on the second or third day. As a result, she had to take at least one day off each month, whether at school or work, to rest during her period.

Menstrual Pain Worsens

Kuo’s menstrual pain improved for a while, but after she gave birth at age 36, it worsened, making it impossible for her to continue working. She consulted a doctor and was diagnosed with endometriosis and ovarian endometriomas. During this period, her family faced financial difficulties, and she was overwhelmed trying to balance work, caring for her young daughter, and looking after her hospitalized father-in-law.

Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus. This causes severe pelvic pain, especially during menstruation, and may also lead to difficulties with conception. When this tissue grows on the ovaries, it can form endometriomas in severe cases. A 2016 study, published in Human Reproduction, indicates that chronic stress can accelerate the development of the condition. A 2017 study in the same journal indicates that endometriosis is closely linked to psychological distress. The resulting pain and infertility can significantly affect a patient’s quality of life and self-esteem.

Kuo underwent surgery to remove the ovarian endometriomas, but her symptoms returned just a few months after the operation.

The doctor explained that this was related to her condition, advising, “Return for surgery again if the pain becomes unbearable.”

Kuo knew that another surgery was not feasible—she had no one to care for her and no one to manage the household.

She began exploring alternative therapies, including exercise and qigong, but none proved effective. At that point, Kuo, who suffered every month, had nearly lost hope for her condition.

Radio Broadcast Leads to a Turning Point

Taiwan is frequently hit by typhoons. In July 2000, during one such typhoon, 37-year-old Kuo was trying to listen to the latest updates but unexpectedly came across a broadcast about Falun Gong instead.

The spiritual discipline, also known as Falun Dafa, consists of five sets of exercises and teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance.

On the radio broadcast, the guest talked about how her husband had had a bad temper and many ailments, but experienced positive changes soon after practicing Falun Gong. The broadcast also mentioned that the lessons were offered for free. Kuo, who was facing financial difficulties, decided to try it.

Her first group practice of Falun Gong took place in a park close to her home. After the morning session, she felt a significant improvement in her physical well-being.

Additionally, she began reading Falun Gong’s core text, “Zhuan Falun,” and experienced a peculiar sensation.

“I felt a warm current flowing throughout my body, which was very pleasant. This sensation would disappear when I was not reading the book. It lasted for about six months and then completely disappeared,” she said.

Painful Menstruation Disappears After Practicing Falun Gong

After she began practicing, her menstrual pain gradually improved. However, because of her previous experiences of fainting during menstruation, she was concerned that she might faint if she practiced during menstruation. Therefore, during the first three months of practicing Falun Gong, she chose not to practice it during her period.

Two older women who practiced Falun Gong with Kuo learned about her situation and told her that group practice could be particularly beneficial. They encouraged her to participate in outdoor group sessions even during her menstrual period.

On the first day of her period in the fourth month of practice, Kuo decided to join the group despite her abdominal pain.

As soon as she began meditating, her abdominal pain dissipated, and she felt relief. However, after about half an hour of meditation, her legs began to hurt intensely. Previously, she had only been able to sit for half an hour.

“However, this time, I endured the pain and managed to sit for 40 minutes before finally stretching my legs,” she said.

By the end of that meditation session, her menstrual pain had disappeared completely.

Since then, she has continued practicing diligently and has remained in excellent health for more than 20 years.

Additionally, her practice has brought significant changes to her personality.

She noted that before practicing, she appeared calm on the surface but often harbored resentment. Since starting her practice, she rarely feels resentful and handles conflicts with a more peaceful attitude.

After witnessing the disappearance of Kuo’s long-standing menstrual pain, her husband decided to start practicing Falun Gong as well. Before he began, he had been diagnosed with bronchiectasis. Despite taking expensive medication, he saw little improvement. However, just two months after starting Falun Gong, his symptoms of coughing up blood completely vanished.

Kuo’s daughter has practiced Falun Gong alongside her mother since the second grade. She excelled academically, displayed a kind-hearted nature, and has become an accomplished internal medicine doctor.

Falun Gong is one of the most popular mind-body cultivation practices today. First introduced to the public in 1992, the spiritual discipline had an estimated 70 million to 100 million practitioners in mainland China by the end of the decade.

One reason for the practice’s widespread popularity is its benefits for improving health. A 2020 study involving more than 1,000 Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners found that individuals with chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, lung issues, and high blood pressure experienced a 70 percent to 89 percent improvement or full recovery after practicing Falun Gong. However, the study was cross-sectional and relied on self-reported survey answers.

Practicing Falun Gong meditation can help regulate immune function, which may benefit patients with endometriosis, as their immune systems struggle to eliminate endometrial cells growing in incorrect locations. An earlier study found that Falun Gong practitioners exhibit a unique bidirectional regulatory mechanism in their neutrophils. Under normal conditions, their neutrophils have a longer lifespan and enhanced phagocytic activity than those of nonpracticing people, making them more effective in protecting the body. Interestingly, in an inflammatory state, these neutrophils undergo rapid apoptosis after eliminating pathogens, thereby facilitating the swift resolution of inflammation.