Treating Pre-Menstrual Syndrome with Acupuncture

In Chinese medicine, periods occur regularly and comfortably for healthy women. Their bodies are in balance, so not only do they have periods on a regular basis, they also don’t have to suffer with pain, water retention, emotional upheaval or PMS-related fatigue.

Unfortunately, the majority of women don’t realize they were not made to feel PMS discomfort. They just accept the fact that they will have all the usual symptoms at least once a month and will handle it with either over-the-counter remedies or prescribed pharmaceuticals. Don’t keep dealing with these symptoms month after month! There are other options available.

Pre-menstrual syndrome, commonly called PMS, is a condition in which certain health issues occur in females starting from one day to two weeks before their period. Patients with PMS can exhibit any one or any combination of the four dominant symptoms; emotional upset, breast distention and bloating, pain and fatigue.

A Western approach to relieving PMS symptoms would be to use pharmaceuticals. Pain killers or over-the-counter medicines will be used to try to deaden pain before a period. An antidepressant medication might be prescribed to take care of depression, anger or anxiety. A birth control pill might be deemed necessary to regulate a menstrual cycle. These pharmaceuticals successfully correct symptomatic events, but do not correct the root of the problem. The symptoms always come back and the problem is not eliminated, just fixed temporarily.

For the record, we are not against Western medicine. We encourage you to go and see your doctors. Medication is sometimes necessary under certain circumstances, so we won’t make you stop taking them. We will, however, help re-train your body to heal itself. With regular treatments, the need for medication may decrease or be eliminated.

In order for the human body to work properly, it must be balanced. Life force energy, called qi, can become blocked in any channel of the body. If energy becomes unable to flow properly in the liver channel, it creates pain, bloating, irritability, and other symptoms that occur with PMS. Acupuncture helps to open those blockages and allows energy to flow without restriction, thus bringing the body back to balance and eliminating PMS altogether. Most women are surprised to see changes in their cycles after undergoing treatment. They are no longer doubled over for days or feel like the world is ending. They can take comfort in leading a normal life again.

Most of my female patients are treated for PMS at some point. One in particular comes in primarily for that reason. She decided to come in as a last resort, after getting tired of multiple trips to the emergency room for PMS-related issues. Her periods were not regular at all; they would occur every three or four months. In addition to extreme pre-menstrual pain, she would have tremendous bloating action, sometimes appearing six months pregnant. When her period did arrive, the clots would pass painfully and appear large and dark purple in color. She would also experience extreme irritability and anger. This was all due to a very stagnant liver channel. I treated her with both herbs and needles, and now her periods are regular. She has no pain and no bloating. She can feel normal again.

Many things can cause PMS. Emotional upset, stress, incorrect diet, and genetics are all common stressors on the body. Try to find healthy ways of dealing with stress, such as yoga or meditation. Eat healthy foods and exercise regularly. When you are experiencing PMS symptoms, try to avoid caffeine, sugary foods, salt and alcohol. Don’t smoke and try to get at least 8 hours of sleep at night.

One of the great things about acupuncture is that it can treat a multitude of problems. It will eliminate PMS. It will also help combat stress and promote good sleep patterns. The body will be balanced and a feeling of good health will be achieved.

Remember that it is not normal for a woman’s body to feel pain and discomfort every month. Acupuncture is very good at bringing balance and harmony to a woman’s body. That balance will, in turn, translate into a healthy, pain-free period.