Women's Health- How Acupuncture benefits women in all seasons of life
Eastern Medicine has been effectively supporting women’s health concerns for thousands of years. Acupuncture theory places an emphasis on balance and is holistic, which means treatment is restorative, gentle and with little to no side effects. Reproductive health is deeply interconnected with other systems and substances of the body, whereas a conventional medicine has very narrow view and bypasses problems as opposed to corrects their root cause. A systems approach also has the benefit of preventative care. I.e. correcting vs suppressing symptoms such as pms, bloating and cramps means better prospectus for fertility and menopause. To be clear, taking a birth control for the purposes of avoiding unfavorable symptoms typically means you are bypassing the problem vs correcting it.
In TCM, diagnosis for reproductive health focuses on the yin and yang balance of organ systems, the quality and function of blood, qi and fluids and the harmony and function of the reproductive system specifically. Organ systems of primary relevance to reproduction are liver, kidneys and spleen in Chinese Medicine. Acupuncture is hugely beneficial to women in all life cycles. Broad spectrum benefits of acupuncture treatment include pain relief, lowered inflammation and the release of stress relieving endorphins, all which improve baseline health. Additionally, lifestyle coaching and herbal medicine can support more specific concerns. Below, I elucidate some of the more specific benefits during the cycling, motherhood and menopausal life seasons of women.
During the menstrual cycling years, treatment primarily focuses on supporting liver health and regulating blood and qi. Treatment courses are effective for relieving pms, menstrual cramps, hormonal migraines, promoting cycle regularity and more. Any symptom gives us information on the nature of the pathology causing the problem. For example, frustration and insomnia premenstrually usually correlate with a liver imbalance in TCM. Acupuncture and herbal medicine treatments for premenstrual syndrome showed a 50% or better reduction of symptoms compared to the initial state after treatment. The period health is the fifth vital sign, meaning health is reflected in an easeful and regular cycle. Many women aren’t well informed on the phases of the cycle and how they can better attune their lifestyle to harmonize with their hormones. Instead of being on a solar day/night cycle as men are, women have a more complex and longer cycle of rise and fall over the lunar cycle. Knowledge = power!
Acupuncture treatment during Motherhood Season focuses on optimizing fertility, supporting a healthy pregnancy, birth prep, nursing supply support and postpartum care. Treatment for fertility always seeks to improve micro-circulation to the ovaries to improve egg quality, ensure regular ovulation, creating a healthy uterine lining and promoting a healthy environment for implantation. Reduced stress and cortisol also mean boosted progesterone, the fertility hormone. During pregnancy, acupuncture is not only perfectly safe but is a lovely way to relieve aches and pains, improve sleep and settle anxiety without the use of harsh drugs. Lastly, Chinese Medicine has a long and rich history for postpartum recovery which includes special body treatments, herbal soups and supportive nutrition guidance. This is very important in preventing depression, fatigue, anxiety and further dis-regulation of hormones in the years to come. This is regrettably a very neglected area of support in modern American culture.
Menopausal Season is the start of a new chapter of life in which patients often seek focus on personal growth and empowerment, shed old stories and expectations from themselves. However, it can be a challenging time physiologically and emotionally. Chinese Medicine focuses on supporting ease by supporting yin, the coolant of the body and dispersing blood stagnation that causes inflammation and agitation. Sleep quality, stress reduction, hormone balance and physical resilience can all be addressed well with acupuncture and herbal medicine. One course of acupuncture treatments was associated with significant reduction in VMS (hot flashes), and several quality-of-life measures, compared with no acupuncture, and that clinical benefit persisted for at least 6 months beyond the end of treatment.
Acupuncture theory utilizes a different paradigm than conventional medicine which makes research even harder to prove efficacy because 1. studies require using the same treatment for everyone vs individualized care, where our medicine shines 2. using ‘sham’ acupuncture as a control group isn’t purely controlled for therapeutic effects 3. part of treatment goes beyond just the pins. Herbal remedies, lifestyle coaching, a therapeutic relationship, diet shifts, mindset shifts all contribute too! 4. we don’t deep pockets like the pharmaceutical industry, in which to do extensive and expensive research.
In spite of that, acupuncture performs super well in lots of trials for many various conditions, many of which support women's issues and reproductive care. See for yourself how the art and science of Acupuncture therapy can support your health!