Acupuncture and Women’s Health

Flora Dowling

For some women, menstruation may be accompanied by unpleasant symptoms for example a percentage of women experience abdominal pain, commonly referred to as ‘cramps’ and medically referred to as dysmenorrhea. Self- medication with ‘pain-killers’ may have little effect and the ‘Pill’ is often prescribed for young women. This is not the best solution. Acupuncture at the right time in the menstrual cycle, can help. It is based on the principle that our health is dependent on the balanced functioning of the body’s motivating energy, known as Qi. Qi flows throughout the body, but is concentrated in channels beneath the skin, known as meridians. The aim of treatment is to restore the balance between the equal and opposite qualities of Qi, namely the Yin and the Yang. Acupuncture a centuries old procedure, uses very fine needle to stimulate specified points, selected in accordance with the patients unique malady and basic constitution. Its strongest feature is its ability to treat conditions for which conventional medicine has no answer, no treatment and no relief other than with potential unpleasant side effects.

Another frequent problem with menstruation that some women experience is distressing physical, psychological and behavioural changes, collectively known as Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS). These changes may include headache, backache, fatigue, feeling bloated, breast tenderness, depression, irritability, unusually aggressive feeling and social withdrawal. Conventional medicine may treat the symptoms of PMS with diuretics, antidepressants or high doses of progesterone which can make the symptoms worse. TCM sees the person as an integral mind and body and so does not treat just symptoms It stimulates the bodies natural healing potential by treating the root causes. There are no invasive procedures and drug therapies with known and unknown side effects.

At some point in a women’s life, she will stop menstruating altogether. This is the menopause sometimes known as the ‘change of life’. While menopause can be taken as an opportunity for growth and development, it can be a time of difficulty for some women. It can be a time for emotional distress, anxiety or depression with physical symptoms such as hot flushes, intermittent bleeding, palpitations, weight gain, insomnia and headaches. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) still poses many question regarding safety especially for long term use. Menopause can be helped made much smoother through TCM The practitioner can help bring about regulation and harmony giving the woman another avenue rather than the question whether to use or not to use HRT.

Acupuncture has been used successfully to treat the above women’s health problems. It can also help other menstrual abnormalities such as irregular or heavy periods. It can help endometriosis and infertility as well as during the period through pregnancy and childbirth.. Endometriosis and female infertility are two women’s health problems which have gained wide attention in recent years. The incidence of endometriosis seems to be on the rise. With more women attempting to have children later, often in their late thirties, the incidence of female infertility also seems statistically to have risen. Modern Western medicine’s diagnosis and treatment of these two conditions is expensive, invasive and often ineffective. Treatment according to the theories of Chinese medicine with acupuncture and Chinese Herbal medicine is more humane, safer and gentle, and along with changes in diet, exercise and lifestyles can be both beneficial and effective. Many people also have acupuncture as a preventative treatment on the path towards optimum health.