by Dr. Lara Lever
Here’s a little announcement for all the women out there who suffer from period cramps. Enjoy this article, get the facts, and know your treatment options. There’s hope. :)
It’s important for women to understand why their bodies react the way they do, and it’s helpful to know some safe and effective strategies available to ease the stress.
If you think it’s common, then you’re right because approximately 40% of all menstruating woman get painful cramps. But, just because cramps are common, there’s no reason to simply accept them as part of life or just “learn to live with them”. On the contrary, think of dysmenorrhoea as your body’s way of signaling to you that something is wrong. One of the ways the body communicates with us is through pain.
Pain is a signal that shouldn’t be ignored because there’s almost always something out of balance.
The most common symptom with dysmenorrhoea is a monthly recurring lower abdominal pain occurring just before or during menstruation. But that’s not as bad as it gets – some women also experience symptoms of nausea, vomiting, indigestion, headaches, mood changes, dizziness or backache. Take a moment to think about the last time you had any of these symptoms and see if you can relate the timing of the symptoms to your cycle – there will likely be a connection.
Now more importantly, how do we cure ourselves or at least manage this dysmenorrhoea more comfortably?
Well some of the most common relief methods that women use are medications. Over-the-counter pain meds or even birth control bills are used to diminish symptoms. But, it’s important to be aware of more natural remedies that are effective, and yet lacking in potential side effects proper to many medications. Among the most effective is Acupuncture!
If you’ve never had acupuncture treatment before then quite simply – you’re missing out. Acupuncture is an ancient remedy that is both safe and effective. It’s also helpful in treating many other symptoms that accompany dysmenorrhoea.
Acupuncture is essentially the insertion of fine needles into significant locations on the body to communicate with the nervous system in order to restore balance, improve function, and stimulate the body’s natural healing mechanisms. Think of it as a little kick-start for your engine. Your body loves to heal and regenerate itself but sometimes due to daily physical and emotional stress, the body gets a little worn down and needs a little help. Acupuncture is that little boost that gets your body back into gear. To read more about acupuncture please visit our information page on Acupuncture treatment.
If you do choose to forgo the medications and want to give acupuncture a try, here’s a little of what is in store for your treatment. First, your health care provider is going to do a little investigative work to figure out what the cause of the imbalance is in your body so that they can target the treatment specifically for you. Now there are many different things that can cause dysmenorrhoea including simple things like imbalances in your diet to more serious things like cysts or structural dysfunction in your pelvic organs. It is important for your health practitioner to rule out any pathology and also addresses other lifestyle and dietary concerns so that you can get the most out of your acupuncture treatments.
There are also some other variables that can effect your symptoms like your IUD or other contraceptive methods. And, did you know that all body piercing should also be removed? Many people get body piercings in neurologically significant areas, therefore the jewelry stimulates the nerves in these areas constantly so you get over-activation of certain body systems.
Another thing to remember is that you may not notice the effects of acupuncture until you have had a few treatments. Acupuncture is a long-term solution to dysmenorrhoea and is really making significant changes in the body, not just masking the symptoms, like some pain medicine will do. Thus, the relief can be noticed gradually, but is ultimately long-lasting.
Your health practitioner will usually recommend treatment with acupuncture for 3-6 menstrual cycles [2-4 treatments per cycle, usually 1-2 treatment per week]. And also anticipate a full body, integrative approach. A well-trained acupuncturist will use points on the body’s core, the arms, legs, head and even the ear to access the areas of concern. As an added bonus, acupuncture can also have a calming effect and help reduce stress and anxiety. So while you’re being treated for dysmenorrhoea, enjoy the added benefits of improved sleep quality, mental focus, and energy levels.
Don’t hesitate to inquire about adding acupuncture into your healthy lifestyle.
I hope you’ve found this helpful,
Dr. Lara
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