If you suffer with painful periods, there is good news! The good news is that there is a treatment for painful periods that has been around for centuries—acupuncture. The typical medical treatment for painful periods is usually hormones. These don’t always work for everyone. Try acupuncture instead of the pill to regulate your menstrual cycle. Don’t suffer needlessly through painful, uncomfortable periods.
The medical term for painful menstruation is dysmenorrhea. The first type of dysmenorrhea includes symptoms such as painful cramping, heavy flow, mood swings, clotting, fatigue, diarrhea and even vomiting, in severe cases. There is no underlying disorder. There is also a secondary type of dysmenorrhea which happens as the result of a diagnosed disorder such as endometriosis or fibroids. If you’ve been struggling with painful periods—give acupuncture a try.
How does Acupuncture help painful periods?
Acupuncture is a Chinese medical practice that has been used for centuries. The basic premise behind this practice is the insertion of needles at specific meridian points of the body to redirect or re-balance “Qi” (the energy flow of the body). In Western terminology, acupuncture is the stimulation of specific points to alter various biochemical and physiological conditions, such as painful periods. In other words, the needles help to correct the energy imbalance and improve the energy flow between meridian points.
Recent Studies on Acupuncture and Menstruation
Recent studies have confirmed that acupuncture reduces the intensity and duration of period pain. Symptom improvements have been shown to last for months after treatment. Every individual is different. Some patients require monthly maintenance treatments, while others can go several months between acupuncture treatments. Diet and lifestyle also play an important role in conjunction with acupuncture for painful periods.
Other studies have shown that women who see the acupuncturist regularly, especially before before their period have more benefits from acupuncture than those patients who see the practitioner with less frequency.
Either way you look at the studies, they show that acupuncture can help the pain and discomfort many women feel when menstruating. Actually, the benefits of acupuncture treatment are so much more than relief from menstrual discomfort. Women report using less painkillers, and having less headaches. The relaxing nature of acupuncture has the added bonus of less anxiety overall.
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