How many fun times have you missed or days off have you had because of period pain? As women we’re socialized to believe that it’s normal to have pain, feel irritable and exhausted during our period. Know this – you shouldn’t have to suffer with painful periods. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can help.

Pain, irritability or other uncomfortable symptoms during your period or at other times in your cycle is a sign that something is out of balance. Oestrogen and progesterone, the two main hormones that control your menstrual cycle, balance each other in the body. Mood swings, pain, breast tenderness and menstrual headaches can occur as a result of these hormones getting out of sync.

Many women manage difficult period symptoms by taking the pill, but this is simply masking the problem, and doesn’t address the underlying reasons for your pain. If you’re coming off the pill, treatment can be helpful to regulate your cycle and get your hormones working together again. Feeling our best is important for all women, but investigating uncomfortable periods is essential if you are planning a pregnancy.

A recent study looking at acupuncture for period pain found that treatments reduced the intensity and duration of pain, and that this effect was sustained for up to one year after treatment.  There was also a corresponding increase in quality of life.  Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can also be effective in the management of pain caused by endometriosis, pelvic inflammation or fibroids.

Diet and lifestyle are important considerations for hormone balance:

~ eat plenty of whole, plant based foods

~ avoid processed foods and sugar.  They contain high levels of inflammatory compounds that can worsen period pain and PMS

~ include gentle, regular exercise.  It improves blood circulation, reduces stress and releases feel-good endorphins

You don’t need to put up with period pain! As a Chinese medicine practitioner I look at your body as a whole, analyzing your symptoms to design a solution that works for you. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine is a safe, natural healing modality that can balance your hormones and free you from the agony of period pain.