Many women suffer from menstruation concerns. These include painful menstrual cramps. Some women also experience irregular menstruation. Even menopausal women experience hormonal imbalances. For such concerns, integrated medicinal therapies, such as acupuncture can help.
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What is Acupuncture?
Before we begin how acupuncture helps women, let’s first discuss what acupuncture is.
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese therapy. This technique uses the insertion of very thin needles. These are inserted through the skin at certain strategic points.
Chinese believe that acupuncture balances the flow of energy or life force. This is known as chi or qi (chee), believed to flow through the body’s pathways (meridians).
Acupuncture practitioners believe energy flow will re-balance. This is a result of the insertion of needles at strategic points.
Acupuncture treats pain. Nowadays, it also used to help manage and reduce stress. Acupuncture also helps patients improve their overall wellness.
Other than these, there are also Western practitioners using acupuncture. They believe acupuncture stimulates the nerves, muscles, and connective tissue. Others also believe this stimulation boosts the body’s natural painkillers.
How can Acupuncture Help women?
Acupuncture is one of the oldest forms of therapy. It has existed for centuries. It helps eliminate pain and stress. In today’s modern times, practitioners also use acupuncture in addressing women’s concerns.
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Menstrual pain and mood swings
A lot of women experience pain during menstruation. This usually happens during the first few days of menstruation. This can range from mild to a more severe level of menstrual cramps.
Other than menstrual cramps, headaches can also occur. The menstruation cycle also affects women’s mood swings.
Acupuncture helps regulate the menstrual cycle. It helps ease pain brought out by menstruation. It does so by normalizing blood flow.
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Menopause
Menopause comes for older women. It is a time that marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycles. Menopause is diagnosed after a woman has gone through 12 months without a period. Menopause can happen anytime between 40s or 50s of age.
Women experiencing menopause experience hot flashes. They may also experience insomnia and night sweats. These symptoms felt by menopausal women can be further aggravated. Stress, anxiety, and hormonal changes intensify the symptoms felt by menopausal women.
Menopause can also lower energy. It can also affect the emotional health of some women.
Other symptoms of menopause are vaginal dryness and chills. It may also include weight gain or slowing of metabolism. Thinning of hair can also happen, plus dry skin, and loss of breast fullness.
The good news is that acupuncture can help improve hormonal imbalances. Acupuncture can help lessen stress. It can make you sleep better. Studies or show that acupuncture can likewise reduce hot flashes.
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Endometriosis’ pelvic pain
Endometriosis is a gynecological condition that affects up to ten percent of women.
Endometriosis is a disorder some women experience. Endometriosis happens when tissue like the lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterus.
To further explain, this endometrial tissue grows on a woman’s ovaries. It can also grow on the bowel and tissues lining the pelvis. Endometrial tissue does not normally go beyond the pelvic region. But it can still happen in some cases. Endometrial tissue is known as an endometrial implant.
The hormonal changes brought about by the menstrual cycle affect the misplaced endometrial tissue. This causes inflammation and pain.
This tissue trapped in a woman’s pelvis can cause irritation. It can also lead to scar formation and adhesions. It can also result in severe pain during menstruation and fertility problems
Endometriosis can be debilitating. Depending on the case of endometriosis, it may lead to swelling and pain.
Acupuncture helps reduce the pain brought about by endometriosis. Acupuncture can help the brain stimulate the body’s natural pain-relieving chemicals. This process then lessens the pain. It also improves the blood circulation, which then reduces swelling.
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Fertility issues
Unfortunately, some women are having a hard time conceiving babies. Stress even aggravates the situation. Stress disrupts the flow of fertility hormones.
Reducing stress and improving blood flow can help regulate ovulation. Acupuncture helps address these.
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Irregular menstruation
Many women experience irregular menstruation. The unpredictability is something that women do not want. Plus, irregular menstruation also affects the chances of getting pregnant. So, can acupuncture help with irregular menstruation?
The answer is yes. Acupuncture can help regulate menstruation.
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Poor sleep
Too much stress can lead to poor diet and also results in poor sleep. This is an issue that many women face. Stress affects other aspects of health.
If you don’t have normal sleeping habits, acupuncture can help. It can relax you. It is also able to restore your body’s natural circadian rhythms. With these, you can live a healthier and stress-free life.
Will you experience pain during acupuncture?
Not really. The needles used are very tiny. Many attest that patients experience very little pain during the process
If you still experience pain during the session, let your acupuncturist know. They will remove the needle.
You will also need to let your acupuncturist know if you are using blood thinners or if they have a compromised immune system. Such cases may experience minor side effects. These include bruises and lingering pain.
In conclusion…
Acupuncture has been around for many centuries. Chinese started acupuncture. Yet, there are also many Western practitioners of acupuncture. Even in today’s times, it is still widely practiced. It helps relieve pain. It helps address several issues experienced by women. If you are one of those women experiencing these health issues, try acupuncture. Just make sure you go to a credible acupuncturist.
