Women’s health primarily refers to the issues related to the menstrual cycle (including menopause), infertility, and issues during pregnancy/postpartum.

This article will focus on the menstrual cycle and research that shows acupuncture’s ability to treat issues related to it.

Future blog posts may focus on the following topics:

• Acupuncture for Fertility

• Acupuncture for Postpartum Depression

• Acupuncture for Menopause

How can acupuncture help menstrual cycle issues?

In Chinese medicine, the menstrual cycle is an important indicator of general and reproductive health. It gives a great deal of information about the status of various physiological processes in the body. Regulating the menstrual cycle using acupuncture and Chinese medicine is often at the center of treatment for many chronic health conditions and for treating fertility issues. A healthy menstrual cycle is a sign of overall health.

Acupuncture works on many levels, including regulating the nervous system, which in turn regulates numerous physiological processes. Some of the effects acupuncture has in this way include reducing pain and inflammation, improving circulation, and reducing stress and anxiety. In the case of women’s health, acupuncture has been shown to regulate uterine and ovarian blood flow via its effect on the ovarian sympathetic nerves.

For any menstrual cycle issues, it is important to consult with your physician or OB/GYN doctor to rule out any serious conditions that may require more immediate medical attention.

Source: Napadow, V., Ahn, A., Longhurst, J., Lao, L., Stener-Victorin, E., Harris, R., & Langevin, H. M. (2008). The status and future of acupuncture mechanism research. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.), 14(7), 861–869. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2008.SAR-3

Acupuncture for menstrual cramps

According to the Cleveland Clinic, “dysmenorrhea is the medical term for painful menstrual periods which are caused by uterine contractions.” It is fairly common, with up to 20 percent of women suffering from menstrual pain which may interfere with daily activities.

One 2018 study showed that acupuncture led to a “significant reduction” in a number of variables tested in 60 women with primary dysmenorrhea. The group that received acupuncture treatments over the course of 90 days reported improvement in “pain, menstrual cramps, headache, dizziness, diarrhea, faint, mood changes, tiredness, nausea, and vomiting” compared to the group that did not receive acupuncture.

Another 2018 systematic review found that manual acupuncture and electroacupuncture reduced menstrual pain better than nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Essentially, acupuncture helps reduce pain via it’s effect on the nervous system.

Acupuncture for PMS symptoms

Over 200 Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) symptoms have been documented which include three main groups of symptoms:

“behavioural symptoms including fatigue, insomnia, dizziness, changes in sexual interest, food cravings or overeating

psychological symptoms including irritability, anger, depressed mood, crying and tearfulness, anxiety, tension, mood swings, lack of concentration, confusion, forgetfulness, restlessness, loneliness, decreased self‐esteem, tension;

physical symptoms including headaches, breast tenderness and swelling, back pain, abdominal pain and bloating, weight gain, swelling of extremities, water retention, nausea, muscle and joint pain”

Source: Armour, M., Ee, C. C., Hao, J., Wilson, T. M., Yao, S. S., & Smith, C. A. (2018). Acupuncture and acupressure for premenstrual syndrome. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 8(8), CD005290. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD005290.pub2

Oftentimes, stress underlies many health conditions. Research has shown that there is a link between reproductive health and stress via endogenous opioid peptides. Acupuncture stimulates the release of neurotransmitters which can then influence the menstrual cycle, ovulation, and fertility. It also helps lower stress hormones which may have positive effects on the menstrual cycle, PMS symptoms, and fertility.

Source: Cochrane, S., Smith, C. A., Possamai-Inesedy, A., & Bensoussan, A. (2014). Acupuncture and women's health: an overview of the role of acupuncture and its clinical management in women's reproductive health. International journal of women's health, 6, 313–325.

Other menstrual cycle issues

Because of it’s role in regulating the nervous system to influence physiological processes, acupuncture and Chinese medicine can also help with other menstrual cycle symptoms such as:

• Amenorrhea (lack of menstrual cycle)

• Menorrhagia (heavy and prolonged menstrual bleeding)

• Polymenorrhea (frequent menstruation or short cycles)

• Oligomenorrhea (infrequent or light menstrual cycles)

• Metrorrhagia (non-menstrual bleeding often in between cycles)

Overview of the menstrual cycle

The menstrual cycle is composed of four phases:

• Menstrual phase or bleeding phase

• Follicular phase

• Ovulation

• Luteal Phase

Hormones Involved in Menstruation:

• Luteinizing Hormone (LH)

• Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)

• Estrogen

• Progesterone

For more details on the menstrual cycle, see this detailed article.

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