How can acupuncture support period pain?

Most women and girls experience period pain at sometime in their lives, and for some women it is very intense. Period pain is usually felt around the start of the period and can be stabbing, cramping and/or a heavy feeling. 

There is good evidence to show that acupuncture is very effective for reducing the intensity of menstrual cramps and the length of time the pain is experienced. Unlike painkillers it doesn’t just treat the symptoms as they occur, but has an effect to reduce the pain in future cycles.

At your first session your acupuncturist will take a detailed case history to establish what’s going on for you physically and mentally. Hormonal variations can cause other problems such as:

• Bloating, breast tenderness and fluid retention
• Mood swings
• Food cravings
• Digestive irregularities
• Headaches

As holistic therapists we target all of these conditions. Your acupuncture is tailored to suit each stage of your cycle. We recommend that you come for a course of 6 sessions over a few weeks, and might advise you to visit on particular weeks of your cycle – eg pre or post ovulation. We will usually give dietary and life style advice as part of the treatment. Chinese herbal medicine can also be effective for these symptoms.

Acupuncture for premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

Many women experience mood swings during their menstrual cycle and a range of other symptoms:

• Irritability/anxiety/depression
• Breast pain/ bloating/fluid retention
• Sleep disturbance
• Fatigue and food cravings
• Headache and brain fog
• Acne

These occur as part of a whole body pattern. Your acupuncturist will not just focus on one of these issues, but will aim to reduce physical and mental symptoms as part of the same treatment strategy. Chinese medical theory gives us the tools to treat these symptoms as part of the same pattern.

Some women and girls with severe PMS may be given a diagnosis of PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder). This is often treated with anti depressants. Acupuncture can be helpful in these cases too and can be used alongside drug therapy.

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