Regulating the Menstrual Cycle with Acupuncture

Women can face a range of issues related to their menstrual cycles, including irregular periods, cramping, heavy flows, skipped periods, long cycles, short cycles, and spotting. Many women will experience one or more of these conditions at some point.

Let’s first explore the treatments available for menstrual issues from a Western medical perspective. Then, we’ll delve into how our Dublin acupuncture clinic uses acupuncture to regulate periods without resorting to drugs, artificial hormones, surgical procedures, or unpleasant side effects.

Western Medical Approaches

Western medicine has primarily two treatment approaches in the domain of menstrual cycle regulation.

Hormonal Regulation – The Pill

Hormonal regulation, usually in the way of hormonal birth control (e.g. The Pill) is the most common answer from western medicine. It can help with many of these conditions and makes a huge difference in the quality of life for many women. These artificial hormones take over your body’s natural signalling and impose a new monthly pattern.

While the approach may work, the underlying issue is never addressed. The drugs simply take over regulation of your cycle with a louder message to your body. It’s like cranking your radio to drown out the sound of your noisy neighbours. Like it or not, the noisy neighbours haven’t gone anywhere.

Some common side effects of the pill include weight gain, decreased libido, nausea, mood swings, and breast tenderness. More serious side effects are also possible. Be sure to see your doctor if you experience headaches, blurred vision, swelling in the legs or thighs, chest pain or abdominal (stomach) pain.

D&C – Dilation and Curettage

In cases of heavy menstruation or even for prolonged periods a surgical procedure called a “dilation and curettage” is often performed. In this procedure the lining of the uterus is removed either with a sharp scraping tool or a suction tool.

The hope is that the lining will reform in a more organized fashion and that future menstrual bleeding will be more regular. As this is a surgical procedure there are risks that you should talk to your doctor about before having a D&C.

Acupuncture for Menstrual Regulation

Most styles of acupuncture provide lots more specific treatment approaches for irregular periods than what is available from the west. Training provides us with some very special, powerful and specific approaches for regulating the menstrual cycle.

Re-establishing the Rhythm

Sometimes, an otherwise healthy woman experiences irregular menstrual cycles. One month, her period may be long, while the next month it may be short. Occasionally, she may skip a period altogether, or she might have light spotting a few times a month.

Acupuncture can help re-establish a healthy menstrual cycle. By giving the body specific signals, acupuncture encourages all body systems to work in a coordinated and synchronised manner, resulting in a regular period. This process involves ovulation, migration through the fallopian tubes, the building of the uterine lining, and menstruation. Acupuncture guides the body through these steps, reminding the systems of how to work together to promote health.

When a consistent imbalance is present, acupuncture provides a powerful tool to restore balance. For example, periods that are consistently too long can be shortened when the underlying imbalance is addressed. Conversely, cycles that are too short (such as 21 days long) can be lengthened when the imbalance is corrected. Additionally, heavy cramping during menstruation can be alleviated through acupuncture.

Acupuncture provides a clear signal to the body, helping it return to homeostasis and achieving optimal regulation.

Posted by Niall O’Leary

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