Acupuncture and Women’s Health
For many women, painful periods and pre-menstrual symptoms are accepted as a normal yet unwelcome part of our lives. Irritability, depression, tiredness and headaches can occur, along with physical symptoms such as weight gain and breast tenderness. But when these symptoms become a real problem each month, this is not 
normal at all. It can be a sign that the hormones are out of balance. Whilst medication can be taken to help alleviate monthly symptoms, acupuncture can assist the body in redressing the hormone balance. An added benefit is that women can often feel an overall sense of well being, and an increase in energy. This is because Chinese medicine is based upon treating the body as a whole entity; respecting the delicate balance of different energies, which of course include hormones and emotions.
So Why Do We Get PMT?
It is actually quite normal for our hormonal states to change throughout each month, and to notice slight changes in our bodies as menstruation approaches. However many women suffer excessively. Pre-menstrual tension (PMT) can occur for many different reasons. Stress tends to be a big factor. So how can stress affect our hormones? According to Chinese medicine, there is an energetic channel connecting the uterus to the heart. In ancient Chinese classical texts it is said that the heart ‘houses the mind’. This means that our emotional state affects our heart. An example of this is when we feel so upset that our heart feels as if it is ‘broken’. This explains then, how our emotions can so easily affect our reproductive organs, and tip the normal flow of energy out of balance. Of course, PMT makes us feel even more stressed as we feel less able to cope, and a vicious circle ensues. As acupuncture can help us to feel less stressed, symptoms of PMT can be less likely to recur once problems have been alleviated.
Acupuncture is a form of Chinese medicine that involves inserting very fine needles into the skin at specific points that are known to affect and balance our body’s energetic flow. By taking a number of pulses on each wrist, an acupuncturist can determine the overall state of energy (called Qi) within the body. By taking a detailed medical history of a person, including lifestyle, eating habits etc., a diagnosis and treatment plan can be formulated.
Infertility and Menopause
Acupuncture can also be used to treat infertility and menopausal symptoms. As before, the emphasis is all about balancing and supporting the body’s energy. For a woman who is having difficulty conceiving, it is easy to see with the heart – uterus connection explained above that the more desperate and emotional one gets, the worse the problem can become.
We treat many women who have taken the contraceptive pill or hormone replacement therapy for a significant period of time. Sometimes when women stop or interrupt taking these hormones, the body has trouble re-adjusting. Women can experience painful and/or irregular periods. Menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, insomnia etc. can recur.
Acupuncture is a wonderful drug-free way to release us from the monthly cycle of physical and emotional problems, and can help us to enjoy our lives to the full!
If you would like to make an appointment, or book a free consultation,with Linda Colclasure, one of the Earlsdon Practice's acupuncturists, please contact us here at the Earlsdon Practice by completing the form on our contact page or call us on 02476 691100.