Acupuncture Treatment for Menopause
A recent study in the journal of Fertility and Sterility reported that acupuncture has been proven to reduce hot flashes when they are the result of menopause. Menopause is the time in which a woman’s ovulation process ceases completely.
The scientists who conducted this test discovered that receiving acupuncture for seven weeks would significantly reduce how severe the hot flashes will be by over twenty-seven percent for those with menopause. Women with menopause who received a mock acupuncture treatment only had a six percent decrease in severity.
The study consisted of about thirty women with different ranges of frequency and severity of their hot flashes. Each of them suffered from at least six mild to chronic hot flashes a day. Each of the women received around ten treatments for those who specialized in acupuncture for a three month period. Half of the group was treated with acupuncture while the other half was treated with mock acupuncture, meaning the needles felt as if they penetrated the skin when in actuality they did not.
In the course of the study, the women who were receiving real acupuncture reported a significant drop in the frequency as well as the severity of their hot flashes, which was found to be exactly a twenty-seven percent drop. The women who received the placebo treatment only reported a six percent drop in severity. The severity was completely different in both groups, but the frequency was about the same.
This proves that acupuncture is a good choice for managing the symptoms of menopause. Mary Huang M.S., a researcher at Stanford University, stated that more clinical trials will have to be done to study more into acupuncture as a treatment for nighttime hot flashes caused by menopause.
How Acupuncture Can Help with PMS
The Research
A 2005 study by The China Academy evaluated more than 800 women who tried herbal remedies, pharmaceutical treatments and acupuncture to relieve PMS. The study concluded, “the therapeutic effects of acupuncture were superior to other methods.”
As far back as 2001, researchers published the results of a study in the Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics that found the success rate of using acupuncture to treat PMS to be 77.8 percent. Their final recommendation was that acupuncture should be part of a holistic approach in a PMS treatment strategy.
Why it Works
Acupuncture practitioners believe a healthy body results from adequate circulation and through balancing the body’s forces of energy, referred to as gi and chi. PMS symptoms are believed to be the result of blocked energy, producing a build-up of pressure that results in physical and emotional discomfort. Acupuncture relieves that pressure and opens natural circulation, lessening the severity of the symptoms.
The most common acupuncture points for PMS treatment are the “Mansion Cottage” and “Rushing Door,” located where the legs meet the lower body, and the “Sacral Points,” located at the base of the spine. Relieving pressure in these points has been shown to relax the uterus, lessening the severity of cramps and lower back pain.
How It Works
Acupuncture works by manipulating and enhancing Qi. Qi (pronounced “chee”) is described as the vital force in the body. The Qi can be accessed at specific points on the body referred to as Acupuncture points. Energy flows through the body like water flows through a river. When the flow of energy is interrupted, it is like the river gets blocked. When Qi is blocked or in excess, this causes imbalance in the body and creates an environment for illness or pain. When Qi is deficient, an Acupuncture treatment can replenish it. Inserting Acupuncture needles into the appropriate spots on the body will resolve the imbalance, allowing the free flowing of energy and health to resume.
While many in the western medical community are skeptical about acupuncture treatments, the World Health Organization supports its use to treat more than 28 medical conditions. Additionally, acupuncture has been used in Chinese cultures for thousands of years.
Acupuncture PMS Treatment Los Angeles
Simply- Acupuncture is very effective at alleviating PMS. Read some of our patient testimonials and notice the reports of the feeling of well-being after the treatments.
Los Angeles Acupuncture and Wellness uses acupuncture to treat PMS and many other disorders. Contact Us to set up your treatment.
Amenorrhea
Amenorrhea and Irregular Menstruation
Amenorrhea means not having a menstrual cycle. There are two types of amenorrhea. The first is when a young girl fails to get her first period by the age of 16. The second is when one or more periods is missed.
Liver controls the flow of emotions and Qi in the entire body because the liver stores and regulates the blood. The Spleen produces Qi and blood. If this spleen is overworked, that can cause a deficiency, and the blood may not be made in sufficient amounts. Kidney Qi regulates the reproductive health (Jing) and longevity. Deficient kidney Qi can also be the source menstrual irregularity.
Treatment of amenorrhea and irregular menstruation cycles are sometimes treated similarly because they can be caused by the same imbalance of Qi. When Liver blood becomes stagnant then the menstruation cycle may become irregular or cease. If the spleen Qi becomes deficient, then the menstrual cycle may stop flowing because there is not sufficient blood in the vessel to overflow. Acupuncture treats those imbalances to return the Qi to a healthy flow so the body can resume its natural rhythm.
Ovarian Cysts, Uterine Fibroids, and Endometriosis
Cysts, fibroids, and endometriosis are all a combination of accumulation or stagnation of blood and Qi. Cysts and fibroids may also have a component of damp accumulation as well. These accumulations can be treated with Acupuncture, Herbs, and nutritional therapy, according to the woman’s imbalance.
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