Hormonal Health Archives - Energetic Health

In Chinese medicine, periods occur regularly and comfortably for healthy women.

Their bodies are in balance, so not only do they have periods on a regular basis, they also don’t have to suffer with pain, water retention, emotional upheaval or PMS-related fatigue.

Unfortunately, the majority of women don’t realize they were not made to feel PMS discomfort. They just accept the fact that they will have all the usual symptoms at least once a month and will handle it with either over-the-counter remedies or prescribed pharmaceuticals. Don’t keep dealing with these symptoms month after month! There are other options available.

Pre-menstrual syndrome, commonly called PMS, is a condition in which certain health issues occur in females starting from one day to two weeks before their period. Patients with PMS can exhibit any one or any combination of the four dominant symptoms; emotional upset, breast distention and bloating, pain and fatigue.

A Western approach to relieving PMS symptoms would be to use pharmaceuticals.

Pain killers or over-the-counter medicines will be used to try to deaden pain before a period. An antidepressant medication might be prescribed to take care of depression, anger or anxiety. A birth control pill might be deemed necessary to regulate a menstrual cycle. These pharmaceuticals successfully correct symptomatic events, but do not correct the root of the problem. The symptoms always come back and the problem is not eliminated, just fixed temporarily.

For the record, we are not against Western medicine. We encourage you to go and see your doctors. Medication is sometimes necessary under certain circumstances, so we won’t make you stop taking them. We will, however, help re-train your body to heal itself. With regular treatments, the need for medication may decrease or be eliminated.

In order for the human body to work properly, it must be balanced.

Life force energy, called qi, can become blocked in any channel of the body. If energy becomes unable to flow properly in the liver channel, it creates pain, bloating, irritability, and other symptoms that occur with PMS. Acupuncture helps to open those blockages and allows energy to flow without restriction, thus bringing the body back to balance and eliminating PMS altogether.

Most women are surprised to see changes in their cycles after undergoing treatment. They are no longer doubled over for days or feel like the world is ending. They can take comfort in leading a normal life again.

Most of my female patients are treated for PMS at some point.

One in particular comes in primarily for that reason. She decided to come in as a last resort, after getting tired of multiple trips to the emergency room for PMS-related issues. Her periods were not regular at all; they would occur every three or four months. In addition to extreme pre-menstrual pain, she would have tremendous bloating action, sometimes appearing six months pregnant.

When her period did arrive, the clots would pass painfully and appear large and dark purple in color. She would also experience extreme irritability and anger. This was all due to a very stagnant liver channel. I treated her with both herbs and needles, and now her periods are regular. She has no pain and no bloating. She can feel normal again.

Many things can cause PMS.

Emotional upset, stress, incorrect diet, and genetics are all common stressors on the body. Try to find healthy ways of dealing with stress, such as yoga or meditation. Eat healthy foods and exercise regularly. When you are experiencing PMS symptoms, try to avoid caffeine, sugary foods, salt and alcohol. Don’t smoke and try to get at least 8 hours of sleep at night.

One of the great things about acupuncture is that it can treat a multitude of problems. It will eliminate PMS. It will also help combat stress and promote good sleep patterns. The body will be balanced and a feeling of good health will be achieved.

Remember that it is not normal for a woman’s body to feel pain and discomfort every month. Acupuncture is very good at bringing balance and harmony to a woman’s body. That balance will, in turn, translate into a healthy, pain-free period.

Kurt Redmond
Acupuncturist St. George
Vision Acupuncture Specialist
435.359.1479
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Menopause is considered to be the end of menstruation.

It’s brought about by the decreased production of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Beginning somewhere around age 35 daily production of most of the major hormones start to slow. This decline affects metabolism, reproductive function and function of the immune system.

It can also affect function of physical and mental capacities as well. By the time a woman reaches her 50s or 60s hormone production is only at about 25% of what it was when she was in her 20s or 30s, causing menopause.

Women can experience wide variations of symptoms during menopause including night sweats, hot flashes, insomnia, mood swings, irritability, difficulty concentrating, change in memory, decreased sexual drive, fatigue, depression, vaginal dryness, pain with intercourse, muscle and joint pain and menstrual irregularities. Women also face an increased risk for osteoporosis and heart disease.

Menopause can be extremely difficult for women.

Hot flashes and night sweats, amongst other things, can cause unbearable discomfort. Fortunately acupuncture and herbs are an excellent option for menopausal women, as they offer a safe, noninvasive and effective treatment for all menopausal symptoms.

In Chinese medicine, menopause occurs in a time when many women become yin deficient. Yin in the body is cooling, moistening, and calming. When yin energy becomes deficient women often get hot, irritated, anxious, and can’t sleep as well. So, the main treatment principle for menopausal women involves nourishing the yin aspect of the body with the use of acupuncture and herbs.

One of the main focuses of the acupuncture treatment for menopause is dispersing qi.

This means that we are unblocking energy that has become blocked or stagnant. When energy becomes blocked for too long, it generates heat which will burn yin and cause yin deficiency.

Certain points are used that have a direct impact on nourishing yin, thereby regenerating the cooling aspects of a woman’s body. Acupuncture used in combination with Chinese herbs creates a constant state of heat clearing and nourishing yin, even between acupuncture treatments. These approaches are natural options that are virtually free from side effects.

We have treated many women for menopausal symptoms and have found great success with our patients. One woman in particular came in complaining of extreme night sweats with hot flashes so severe that she found it difficult to sleep more than 10 or 15 minutes at a time.

Within three months of starting treatment she had no night sweats and no hot flashes. She was sleeping a solid eight hours without interruption. She was thrilled by the results of treatment and ended up sending several of her friends into the clinic for menopausal treatments as well.

I highly recommend seeking out a qualified acupuncturist if you’re interested in using herbs for hot flashes, night sweats or any menopausal symptoms. I’ve had many patients come in and saying they heard black cohosh was good for hot flashes, but it did not work for them.

It is very important to remember that herbs only work if they address your specific differential diagnosis or constitutional needs. These needs are determined by examining the tongue, palpating the pulse and matching those findings with symptoms. This way a much more specific and accurate diagnosis can be formulated and treatment can be administered that will bring positive results.

According to Chinese medicine, a healthy woman should go through menopause without any signs or symptoms. It is a natural progression of a woman’s body and should be embraced as a rite of passage. Start enjoying your rite of passage by trying acupuncture and bringing your body back to a place of harmony and balance.

Pre-Menstrual Syndrome