Let’s be real – period pain can be a total nightmare. For many of us, it’s not just a minor inconvenience but a monthly battle that leaves us curled up on the couch, reaching for painkillers, and counting down the days until it’s over. But what if there was a natural way to ease the cramps, reduce the discomfort, and actually feel like yourself during your period?
Enter Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), including acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. These ancient practices are gaining modern recognition for their ability to tackle period pain at its root, offering relief without the side effects of conventional meds.
Why Acupuncture? It’s Not Just Needles!
You might be wondering, “Does acupuncture really work for period pain?” The answer is a resounding yes! Research shows that acupuncture can be a game-changer for women dealing with dysmenorrhea (that’s the fancy term for painful periods). Here’s the scoop:
A study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research found that acupuncture significantly reduces period pain and is way gentler on your body compared to painkillers.
Another review confirmed that acupuncture doesn’t just mask the pain—it helps your body heal and rebalance, so you feel better in the long run.
So, how does it work?
Acupuncture involves tiny, hair-thin needles placed at specific points on your body to boost blood flow, relax your uterus, and balance your energy (Qi). It’s like hitting the reset button for your body.
How TCM Tackles Period Pain
In TCM, period pain isn’t just about cramps—it’s a sign that something’s out of whack in your body. Maybe your energy is stuck, or your blood flow isn’t what it should be. A TCM practitioner will take the time to understand your unique symptoms and create a personalised plan to get you feeling your best. This might include:
1. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is all about targeting the right spots to ease your pain. Some of the go-to points for period pain include:
Zigong (Extra Point): Near your uterus, this point helps regulate your cycle.
Sanyinjiao (SP6): On your inner leg, it’s a powerhouse for improving blood flow and calming cramps.
Guanyuan (CV4): On your lower abdomen, it strengthens your reproductive system.
And don’t worry—the needles are super thin, and most people find the sessions relaxing (yes, really!).
2. Chinese Herbal Medicine
Think of Chinese herbs as your period’s new best friend. They work hand-in-hand with acupuncture to soothe cramps, balance hormones, and keep your cycle running smoothly. Some popular herbs include:
Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis): Known as the “female ginseng,” it’s a superstar for menstrual health.
Chuan Xiong (Ligusticum wallichii): Helps get your blood moving and eases pain.
Bupleurum (Chai Hu): Keeps your emotions in check and reduces stress-related cramps.
Popular herbal formulas for period pain include:
Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan: Reduces cramping and promotes blood circulation.
Xiao Yao Wan: Balances hormones and alleviates stress-related menstrual pain.
Little Changes, Big Results
While acupuncture and herbs do the heavy lifting, a few lifestyle tweaks can make a big difference too:
Eat Warm Foods: Think soups, stews, and steamed veggies. Skip the ice-cold smoothies and salads during your period.
Move Your Body: Gentle yoga or a walk around the block can help ease cramps and boost your mood.
Chill Out: Stress can make period pain worse, so try meditation, deep breathing, or just curling up with a good book.
Why Choose Almond Wellness Centre?
At Almond Wellness Centre in Coburg and Ringwood, Melbourne, we’re all about helping you feel your best – naturally. Our fully qualified practitioners will:
Take the time to understand your unique needs.
Create a custom treatment plan just for you.
Support you every step of the way, so you can say goodbye to period pain for good.
Ready to Ditch the Pain?
If you’re tired of letting period pain run your life, it’s time to try something different. Contact Almond Wellness Centre today to book a consultation and discover how acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help you feel your best – every day of the month.
Fill out the contact form or call our office now!
References
Liu, Z., Liu, Y., Xu, H., He, L., & Chen, Z. (2018). Acupuncture for primary dysmenorrhea: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research, 44(6), 1014-1023. doi: 10.1111/jog.13631.
V. Iorno,etl. Acupuncture Treatment of Dysmenorrhea Resistant to Conventional Medical Treatment. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2008 Jun; 5(2): 227–230.
Acupuncture for dysmenorrhoea. Smith CA, etl.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016 Apr 18;
Zhu X, Hamilton KD, McNicol ED. Acupuncture for pain in endometriosis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;5(5):CD012617. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD012617.pub2.
Chiu HY, Pan CH, Shyu YK, et al. Effectiveness of acupuncture in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome undergoing in vitro fertilisation or intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Acupunct Med. 2020;38(1):17-28. doi: 10.1177/0964528419878323.
Smith CA, Armour M, Zhu X, Li X, Lu ZY, Song J. Acupuncture for dysmenorrhoea. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016;4(4):CD007854. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007854.pub3.
Lian F, Li Y, Xie RJ, Wang J, Zhang Y, Bai J. Effects of Chinese medicine for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis in treating patients with dysmenorrhea: a systematic review. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2016;2016:8582727. doi: 10.1155/2016/8582727.
Shi GX, Yang XM, Liu CZ, et al. Acupuncture for chronic low back pain: a multicenter, randomized, patient-assessor blind, sham-controlled clinical trial. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2019;44(8):592-601. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000002885.
Altern Ther Health Med. 2010 Nov-Dec;16(6):30-5. Liu H, Li H, Xu M, Chung KF, Zhang SP.
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Examining Acupuncture for Trigeminal Neuralgia: A Detailed Analysis
Summary:
This review, published in Altern Ther Health Med in November-December 2010, aimed to assess acupuncture’s effectiveness in treating trigeminal neuralgia (TN). The review encompassed twelve studies examining the efficacy of acupuncture compared to carbamazepine (CBZ), a common treatment for TN. However, due to the low quality of these studies, a comprehensive meta-analysis couldn’t be conducted.
Method:
Researchers delved into English and Chinese databases to identify randomized controlled studies on acupuncture’s impact on TN. They evaluated the methodological quality of selected studies and analyzed the odds ratios (OR) between treatment and control groups to measure efficacy.
Results:
In the twelve studies reviewed, acupuncture was pitted against CBZ with 506 participants in the acupuncture group and 414 in the control group. The studies lacked strong methodological quality, making it challenging to conduct a meta-analysis. Four trials suggested acupuncture was better than CBZ, while eight found no significant difference between the treatment and control groups. Minimal adverse effects were reported in three studies that examined acupuncture.
Conclusion:
The review indicates that acupuncture could be as effective as CBZ in treating TN but with fewer reported side effects. However, due to the low quality of the studies analyzed, the evidence is not conclusive. Better-designed studies are necessary to validate acupuncture as a reliable treatment for TN.
Summary: This study, published in the Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine in November 2017, aimed to assess acupuncture’s impact on idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (ITN). Patients were divided into three groups: acupuncture, sham-acupuncture, and carbamazepine (a common medication for ITN). Their pain levels, medication doses, and various sensory evaluations were monitored before, immediately after, and six months post-treatment.
Method: The study included 60 ITN patients and 30 healthy individuals. Patients were randomly assigned to three groups: acupuncture (15), sham-acupuncture (15), and carbamazepine (30). Pain intensity, medication doses, temporomandibular disorder evaluations, masticatory system functionality, and sensory threshold tests were conducted at different intervals.
Results: The acupuncture group showed decreased pain intensity by the end of the study (P=0.012). In contrast, the sham-acupuncture group required increased medication doses (P<0.01). The acupuncture group sustained improvements in myofascial pain and jaw function after six months (P<0.01, P=0.023). Mechanical thresholds improved in the acupuncture group (tactile, P<0.01; vibration, P=0.027), while deep pain thresholds increased in both acupuncture and sham-acupuncture groups (P=0.013).
Conclusion: Acupuncture demonstrated potential in treating ITN by reducing pain and associated secondary myofascial discomfort. This suggests acupuncture as a viable option for managing ITN-related pain.
May the Holiday season fill your home with joy, your heart with love, and your life with laughter.Have a healthy, happy, and peaceful New Year.
Dear Valued Patients,
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As the holiday season twinkles upon us, the team at Almond Wellness Centre wishes you and your loved ones joy, warmth, and a season filled with wellness and cheer.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude for entrusting us with your health and well-being throughout the year. Your trust in our practice inspires us to continually strive for excellence in delivering personalized care tailored to your needs.
Please take note of our holiday office hours, ensuring you have access to our services during this festive season. For detailed information on our open hours, kindly visit our website [insert hyperlink to the detailed open hours page].
May this holiday season bring you moments of serenity and togetherness. Here’s to a rejuvenating break and a new year brimming with health, happiness, and harmony.
Warm regards,
Your health team at Almond Wellness Centre
Important Information for Private Health Fund Members – massage therapy, acupuncture and chiropractic
The New Year is fast approaching and for many Private Health Fund Members it signals the expiry of your insurance entitlements for 2023.
Many Health Fund Providers run on a calendar year and they tend not to carry over unused funds to the following year. Now is not only the time to check that you are taking full advantage of your Health Insurance entitlements, but also to ensure that you are keeping fit, healthy and pain free for the festive season.
Almond Wellness Centre is dedicated to helping you reach your health potential; guiding you to a lifetime of freedom, good living and a better quality of life.
Take advantage of your remaining Private Health benefits for 2023 before they are gone.
Call 03 8802 1519 or 03 9378 9479 to make your next appointment now.
Holiday office hours
During the Holiday Season our clinic will have the following schedule:
23rd – 26th December 2023 Closed
27th – 29th December 2023 OPEN
30th December 2023 – 2nd January 2024 Closed
We will reopen on Thursday January 3rd and resume regular office hours.
Cancer. 2014 Dec 1;120(23):3744-51. doi: 10.1002/cncr.28917. Epub 2014 Jul 30.
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Mao JJ1, Farrar JT, Bruner D, Zee J, Bowman M, Seluzicki C, DeMichele A, Xie SX.
Background
Although fatigue, sleep disturbance, depression, and anxiety are associated with pain in breast cancer patients, it is unknown whether acupuncture can decrease these comorbid symptoms in cancer patients with pain. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on fatigue, sleep, and psychological distress in breast cancer survivors who experience joint pain related to aromatase inhibitors (AIs).
Methods
The authors performed a randomized controlled trial of an 8-week course of EA compared with a waitlist control (WLC) group and a sham acupuncture (SA) group in postmenopausal women with breast cancer who self-reported joint pain attributable to AIs. Fatigue, sleep disturbance, anxiety, and depression were measured using the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The effects of EA and SA versus WLC on these outcomes were evaluated using mixed-effects models.
Results
Of the 67 randomly assigned patients, baseline pain interference was associated with fatigue (Pearson correlation coefficient [r]=0.75; P < .001), sleep disturbance (r=0.38; P=.0026), and depression (r=0.58; P < .001). Compared with the WLC condition, EA produced significant improvements in fatigue (P=.0095), anxiety (P=.044), and depression (P=.015) and a nonsignificant improvement in sleep disturbance (P=.058) during the 12-week intervention and follow-up period. In contrast, SA did not produce significant reductions in fatigue or anxiety symptoms but did produce a significant improvement in depression compared with the WLC condition (P=.0088).
Conclusions
Compared with usual care, EA produced significant improvements in fatigue, anxiety, and depression; whereas SA improved only depression in women experiencing AI-related arthralgia.
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2013 May 1;304(9):E934-43. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.00039.2013. Epub 2013 Mar 12.
Johansson J1, Redman L, Veldhuis PP, Sazonova A, Labrie F, Holm G, Johannsson G, Stener-Victorin E.
Abstract
Acupuncture has been demonstrated to improve menstrual frequency and to decrease circulating testosterone in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Our aim was to investigate whether acupuncture affects ovulation frequency and to understand the underlying mechanisms of any such effect by analyzing LH and sex steroid secretion in women with PCOS. This prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted between June 2009 and September 2010. Thirty-two women with PCOS were randomized to receive either acupuncture with manual and low-frequency electrical stimulation or to meetings with a physical therapist twice a week for 10-13 wk. Main outcome measures were changes in LH secretion patterns from baseline to after 10-13 wk of treatment and ovulation frequency during the treatment period. Secondary outcomes were changes in the secretion of sex steroids, anti-Müllerian hormone, inhibin B, and serum cortisol. Ovulation frequency during treatment was higher in the acupuncture group than in the control group. After 10-13 wk of intervention, circulating levels of estrone, estrone sulfate, estradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, androstenedione, testosterone, free testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, androsterone glucuronide, androstane-3α,17β-diol-3-glucuronide, and androstane-3α,17β-diol-17-glucuronide decreased within the acupuncture group and were significantly lower than in the control group for all of these except androstenedione. We conclude that repeated acupuncture treatments resulted in higher ovulation frequency in lean/overweight women with PCOS and were more effective than just meeting with the therapist. Ovarian and adrenal sex steroid serum levels were reduced with no effect on LH secretion.
Am J Chin Med. 2018 Oct 9:1-33. doi: 10.1142/S0192415X18500738.
Wang H1,2, Yang G3, Wang S4,2, Zheng X5,2, Zhang W6, Li Y2.
Author information
1 * School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, P. R. China.
2 ∥ American TCM Society, New York City, New York, USA.
3 † Department of Specialty Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA.
4 ‡ New York Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs Clinic, New York City, New York, USA.
5 § Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, New York City, New York, USA.
6 ¶ Center for Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Abstract
Acupuncture has been a popular alternative medicine in the United States for several decades. Its therapeutic effects on pain have been validated by both basic and clinical researches, and it is currently emerging as a unique non-pharmaceutical choice for pain against opioid crisis. However, the full spectrum of acupuncture indications remains unexplored.In this study, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among 419 acupuncturists nation-wide to investigate the top 10 and top 99 acupuncture indications in private clinics in the United States.We found the top 10 indications to be:lower back pain, depression, anxiety, headache, arthritis, allergies, general pain, female infertility, insomnia, neck pain and frozen shoulder.Among the top 99 indications, pain represents the largest category; and mental health management, especially for mood disorders, is in greatest demand.The following popular groups are: immune system dysfunctions, gastrointestinal diseases, gynecology and neurology. In addition, specialty index, commonality index, and the potential to become medical specialties were estimated for each indication. Demographic analysis suggests that China trained acupuncturists tend to have broader indication spectrums, but the top conditions treated are primarily decided by local needs. Also, gender, resident states, age and clinical experience all affect indication distributions.Our data for the first time outlines the profile of acupuncture treatable conditions in the US and is valuable for strategic planning in acupuncture training, healthcare administration and public education.
Compiled from Journals, Internet, and Website resources as a tool to aid ABORM members understand the depth and breadth of Western Style research related to our fields.
Worked completed by: Diane K. Cridennda, L.Ac., FABORM, Member Board of Directors Founder/Owner: East Winds Acupuncture
