Living with endometriosis is a nightmare for thousands of women. For some, their condition is marked with sever, debilitating pain that interferes with daily life. It can be so bad that women, like Lena Dunham, undergo complete hysterectomies to find much-needed relief. However, if you would like to address endometriosis naturally, here are four herbs and supplements to try.

Endometriosis is the condition in which tissue that normally grows inside the uterus actually grows outside of it. Hormonal disruption and inflammation contribute to this painful problem.

Yale-trained, MD, herbalist and midwife, Dr. Aviva Romm, says that natural treatments can relieve both endometriosis pain, and also reduce lesions and cysts. She doesn’t advise you replace conventional therapies with natural therapies – at least not at first.

However, long-term use (approximately 6 to 12 months, in most cases) can bring about noticeable healing, that’s both self and restorative.

Here are Romm’s herb and supplement recommendations:

Melatonin

Citing this study, Romm explains that “melatonin is a powerful natural detoxifier, especially of excess or harmful forms of estrogen, and perhaps this explains its powerful role in endometriosis care.”

NAC, or N-acetyl-cysteine

This supplement boosts glutathione in the body. This is important because most women don’t produce enough of it to keep up the overproduction of estrogen and other hormones. Like melatonin, glutathione helps to detox the body and restore hormonal balance, according to this 2013 study.

Pine bark

This natural herb can reduce even severe endometriosis pain. And in one study, some women who used pycnogenol (pine bark extract) for 48 weeks were able to become pregnant.

Ginger root powder

Taking ginger root powder in the correct dose can actually be just as effective in reducing pain as ibuprofen.