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Acupuncture can help to restore balance and boost vitality for women at any stage in their life cycle. Hormonal influences play a huge part in the health of women from puberty, menarche, ovulation, conception, pregnancy, perimenopause and menopause. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can help to balance hormones leading to greater health and well-being.
Some of the major health concerns for women include:
Premenstrual Tension (PMS) or (PMT)
Symptoms include insomnia, tender breasts, bloating and/or constipation, irritability, mood swings, headaches and anxiety. All symptoms can be eased greatly with Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.
Dysmenorrhea (Painful Periods)
Pain either before, during or after menstruation. The intensity and duration of period pain can be greatly reduced with Acupuncture treatment, significantly improving the quality of life for women with period pain.
Amenorrhea (Absence of Periods)
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine in combination with diet and lifestyle changes are very effective in promoting a normal menstrual cycle.
Ovulation
Ovulation issues include infrequent ovulation and not ovulating at all. Excess physical or emotional stress, a very high or low body weight or a recent substantial weight gain or loss can disrupt hormones and affect ovulation. Another common cause of ovulation problems is PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are very effective in treating ovulation problems.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
This is an endocrine disorder which can prevent normal ovulation and may cause infertility. Other symptoms may include small cysts in the ovaries, obesity, insulin resistance and increased facial hair. Women with PCOS and especially those with irregular or infrequent periods can have problems when it comes to conceiving. Acupuncture can reduce some of the factors that prevent polycystic ovaries working properly by reducing testosterone and luteinising hormone levels, improving ovarian function, increasing the frequency of ovulation and promoting a more regular cycle. Acupuncture also decreases insulin resistance.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a condition in which cells from the womb lining travel to other parts of the body such as the bowel and the ovaries, and grow into patches of tissue. These patches respond to the hormones of the menstrual cycle and each month they thicken and build up with blood and then break down. But, unlike the lining of the womb they have nowhere to go and can cause damage, inflammation, internal scarring and adhesions. Endometriosis is found in almost a third of infertility cases. Common symptoms include pain (pelvic, abdominal and lower back pain) before and during periods and during ovulation. Other symptoms include heavy bleeding and fatigue. Acupuncture treatment for endometriosis provides pain relief, reduces inflammation, regulates levels of prostaglandins and improves fertility.
Perimenopause and Menopause
Perimenopause typically begins several years before menopause when the ovaries gradually produce less oestrogen. As ovulation becomes more unpredictable the length of time between periods may be longer or shorter, your flow may be lighter or heavier and you may skip some periods. Sometimes these are problematic e.g. heavy or abnormal vaginal bleeding. In the last one to two years of perimenopause the drop in oestrogen quickens. At this stage many women experience menopausal symptoms including hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia, fatigue, mood swings, memory loss, vaginal dryness, headaches, palpitations, joint pain, anxiety, depression and weight gain. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and are brought on as our bodies try to adapt to decreasing amounts of oestrogen. Menopause happens when we no longer ovulate and menstruation stops. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine help with these symptoms and ease the transition. Acupuncture treatments also help prevent the decrease of bone density following menopause.
