How Can Acupuncture Help?

Women’s Health

The many stresses of modern-day life can easily upset a women’s delicate hormonal and physiological balance.  This can cause a multitude of symptoms and discomforts ranging from painful, irregular periods, in the early years, to abnormal flow, irritability, depression, and insomnia in the later years, to hot-flushes, night sweats, sleep-disturbances, and depression during the menopausal years.  In addition, many women suffer from the severe pain and heavy bleeding associated with endometriosis, fibroids, or cysts, while others experience periods that are either too long, or too short, or completely absent.  Quite a few women who seem to have normal cycles and few or none of the above problems, find that, inexplicably, they are unable to get pregnant. In all these situations, acupuncture, and Chinese herbal medicine, has a long history of bringing harmony and balance to a disrupted cycle.

PMS


Symptoms, such as nausea, constipation, cramping, acne, backache, breast swelling and tenderness, headache, bloating and mood swings, among others, a few days prior to menstruation are so wide-spread, especially among young women, that they are seen as a normal consequence of the monthly cycle.  Even women, who suffer debilitating pain, often go no further than an over-the-counter pain medication to find relief.  Yet, painful periods are not normal and if not addressed, might lead to even more complicated problems down the line.  Although the underlying causes for painful periods are many and may vary greatly among individuals, from a Chinese medicine point of view, they are almost always related to some form of energetic blockage or deficiency, both of which are easily addressed with acupuncture, herbs, and, often, dietary changes. Sometimes only a few sessions are needed to resolve the issue and eliminate the need for pain medication, while occasional “tune-ups” may prevent recurrence of symptoms. Many women find acupuncture for PMS to be an overall calming and restorative experience.

Irregular Periods, Abnormal Bleeding

Chronic menstrual problems can take many forms and present a more complicated picture. Although we define a normal cycle as being 28 days in length, many women do not fit this pattern.  Cycles as short as 21 or as long as 35 days may be normal for some women, as long as they are regular and consistent.  Problems arise if a cycle shifts drastically from month to month or if periods are missed altogether.  The same can be said for the duration of a cycle.  Normal is seen as 4-5 days, yet for some women, it can last as long as six or seven days or be as short as three.  What is important, is consistency.  Longer cycles with a continuously heavy, perhaps clotty flow, requiring frequent change of tampon or sanitary napkins, might be an indication of a more serious, underlying problem, while pale and scanty flow with spotting between periods would also warrant a closer look. 

Irregular periods and abnormal bleeding can have a multitude of causes and should definitely be evaluated by a Western physician, so that serious diseases can be ruled out.  However, Chinese medicine has been able to bring relief in many complicated situations as well.  Endometriosis, fibroid tumors, and ovarian cysts, for example, respond well to an acupuncture and herbal protocol.  Heavy, scant or continuous flow can also be normalized using acupuncture.  In fact, Chinese medicine, which is safe, effective and without side-effects, would be a good first-course to take, before more serious medical intervention, such as drugs, hormone therapy, or surgery is employed.

Pregnancy

At no time in a women’s life is the harmony and balance of the hormonal system more important than during pregnancy. Here, Chinese medicine has much to offer, for both the mother and the developing baby. Acupuncture, alone, has a long history of relieving the symptoms of morning sickness, such as nausea and vomiting, tiredness, poor appetite and depression, and it can also bring relief to the mental restlessness,  anxiety and insomnia that plague many women during the later stages. Through the regular use of acupuncture, some of the more serious complications associated with late-stage pregnancy, such as hypertension, dizziness, and oedema, might even be prevented.
 
However, in Chinese medicine, the management of mother and baby during pregnancy is not just about achieving hormonal balance and alleviating symptoms; it is about achieving and maintaining an optimal level of health by also considering nutritional and life-style factors.  The level of the mother’s health during pregnancy translates, quite directly, into the ease of delivery and subsequent health of the baby.  The judicious use of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine after childbirth can be most helpful in restoring the mother’s energy, insure a sufficient supply of milk, and prevent insomnia and depression.

Menopause

Menopause is the point at which a woman stops ovulating and menstruation ceases, indicating the end of fertility.  It is a natural progression in life, and despite its many annoying or even debilitating symptoms, not a disease.  For most women, hormone production begins to slow down when they reach their thirties and continuous to diminish as they age.  During this period of “perimenopause” few women have any symptoms, although for some, brief intervals of anxiety, heart palpitations dry skin, fatigue, decreased interest in sex, insomnia and irritability, may occur.   On the threshold of actual menopause, the complete cessation menstruation for at least 12 months, these symptoms may increase in frequency and intensity.  Hot flushes, night sweats, bouts of anxiety, depression, as well as insomnia and mood swings are probably the most frequent complaints during this time.  Western medicine treats these symptoms primarily as arising from a hormone deficiency and tries to alleviate them by supplying the missing estrogens.  This, however, is ultimately not really helpful, as it not only interferes with the body’s attempts at finding its own, new hormonal balance, but can bring about a cascade of side-effects that can result in serious disease.  Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine with its ultimate goal of harmony and balance, offer a simpler, safer, yet highly effective approach to these symptoms, especially excessive sweating, insomnia and anxiety.  Furthermore, by stimulating the body to regain its balance within  these new and greatly altered hormonal levels, Chinese medicine can help women to  not only move through this transition with ease, but also to maintain a high level of overall health.  This increased sense of wellbeing may make a woman’s “golden” years truly “golden.”

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