Many women experience menstrual cramps before or during their menstrual period. The pain can often be incredibly disruptive towards individuals and their daily activities. Patients will often seek out pain medication or alternative therapies (such as diet change or homeopathy) to help the symptoms. However, often times individuals still have difficulty controlling the menstrual pain. At TCM Health Center we see girls and women of all ages who come in for menstrual pain. It is our goal to provide the best possible treatment to aid our patients.
Acupuncture works towards balancing the qi (an essential force) and flow of energy in the body. It is believed that if a natural flow in the body has been blocked it can create pain or other complications. The reason why acupuncture is often so successful with pain conditions is due to its stimulation of the central nervous system to help release neurotransmitters such as endorphins, which act as natural painkillers. Patients who come in for menstrual pain often find that after a certain course of treatment they have significant improvement with the pain.
In a study conducted by Joseph Helms, MD, patients with dysmenorrhea were divided into groups and received acupuncture treatment to help alleviate the symptoms. In the group that received acupuncture treatment, 41% of patients had a reduction in consuming analgesic medication (painkillers) while there was no significant change measured in the other control groups.
If you have any further questions about acupuncture treatment for menstrual pain, please feel free to give any one of our locations a call to schedule an initial consultation. We look forward to hearing from you!
“When I came into the clinic I had been suffering from menstrual pain since I had first gotten my period. To control my pain I was using over-the-counter pain pills, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as oral contraceptive pills. But in the past few months my pain had been worsening with little to no relief from the analgesics. Though my periods were regular and the pain disappeared after the menstruation, three to five days before I would get my period I would have horrible pain radiating from my lower abdomen. It became so painful that I had to request to take an entire week of work off during this time. Because of it I had lost four jobs. I didn’t even remember half of my college experience because I would be wrapped up in my dorm bedroom often times crying from the pain. After three months of treatment, my menstrual pain was reduced by 90%. I couldn’t even explain how incredible it was for me. I went from experiencing horrendous pain once a month, in addition to taking numerous pain medications, to being able to live my life each day to its fullest.”