| Acupuncture has
been misleadingly publicized as only being helpful in specific
conditions, such as the relief of pain. It is, in fact,
extremely effective in a wide variety of conditions through
its power to stimulate the mind and body's own healing
response. More and more women are exploring Traditional
Chinese Medicine (TCM) as an alternative path to health and
well-being. TCM treats women's health very differently from
conventional Western medicine. The aim of acupuncture is to
treat the whole person and to restore the balance between the
physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of the individual.
MENSTRUATION
For some women, menstruation may be accompanied by unpleasant
symptoms; for example, a percentage of women experience
abdominal pain, commonly referred to as 'cramps' and medically
referred to as dysmenorrhea. Self-medication with
'pain-killers' may have little effect, and the 'pill' is often
prescribed for young women. This is not the best solution.
Acupuncture at the right time in the menstrual cycle, can
help.
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 | MENOPAUSE |
At some point
in a woman's life, she will stop menstruating altogether. This
is the menopause sometimes known as the 'change of life'.
While menopause can be taken as an opportunity for growth and
development, it can be a time of difficulty for some women. It
can be a time for emotional distress, anxiety or depression
with physical symptoms such as hot flushes, intermittent
bleeding, palpitations, weight gain, insomnia and headaches.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) still poses many question
regarding safety--especially for long term use. Menopause can
be made much smoother through TCM. The practitioner can
help bring about regulation and harmony, giving the woman
another avenue rather than the question of whether or not
to use HRT.
Acupuncture has been used successfully to treat the above
women's health problems. It can also help other menstrual
abnormalities such as irregular or heavy periods. It can help
endometriosis and infertility as well as during the period
through pregnancy and childbirth. Endometriosis and female
infertility are two major women's health problems that have
gained wide attention in recent years. The incidence of
endometriosis seems to be on the rise. With more women
attempting to have children later, often in their late
thirties and even in their forties, the incidence of female
infertility also seems to have risen statistically. Modern
Western medicine's diagnosis and treatment of these two
conditions is expensive, invasive and often ineffective.
Treatment according to the theories of Chinese medicine with
acupuncture and Chinese Herbal medicine is more humane, safer
and gentle, and along with changes in diet, exercise and
lifestyles can be both beneficial and effective. Many people
also have acupuncture as a preventative treatment on the path
towards optimum health.
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| PMS |
Another
frequent problem with menstruation that some women experience
is distressing physical, psychological and behavioral changes,
collectively known as Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS). These
changes may include headache, backache, fatigue, feeling
bloated, breast tenderness, depression, irritability,
unusually aggressive feeling and social withdrawal.
Conventional medicine may treat the symptoms of PMS with
diuretics, antidepressants or high doses of progesterone,
which can actually make the symptoms worse. TCM sees the
person as an integral mind and body and so does not treat just
symptoms. It stimulates the body's natural healing potential by
treating the root causes. There are no invasive procedures and
drug therapies with known and unknown side effects.
For a complete consultation, please
contact us at 704.968.0351.
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