Gynaecology

The most common gynaecological problems for which women seek help through acupuncture are problems with the period.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

PMS can start up to two weeks before the period and usually goes away when the period starts. It most commonly affects teenagers and women in their early 20s. Some women have symptoms of PMS each month before their period starts.

Nearly all women get some mild symptoms before their period. However, around one in 20 women have symptoms that interfere with their quality of life. Symptoms include emotional and behavioural symptoms such as anxiety, mood swings, tiredness, poor concentration, irritability, aggression, depression and clumsiness, and physical symptoms such as headaches, bloatedness, weight gain, breast tenderness and back ache. 

Heavy periods (menorrhagia)

It is difficult to measure blood loss accurately. Periods are considered heavy if they cause such things as: flooding, the need for double sanitary protection, soaking of bedclothes, passing clots, or if your normal lifestyle is restricted because of heavy bleeding. 

Painful periods (dysmenorrhoea)

When periods first start they are usually painless. However, later on most girls notice an ache in their lower abdomen, back and tops of the legs, especially in the first few days of a period. The first two days are usually the worst.

Bleeding at abnormal times

If you have vaginal bleeding at times apart from your expected periods, you should see a doctor. This includes if bleeding occurs after you have sex, or after the menopause. There are various causes of bleeding between periods. One common cause is called 'breakthrough bleeding' which are small bleeds that occur in the first few months after starting the contraceptive pill. This usually settles over a few months.

Periods which stop (amenorrhoea)

Pregnancy is the most common reason for periods to stop. However, it is not uncommon to miss the odd period for no apparent reason. But, it is unusual to miss several periods unless you are pregnant. Apart from pregnancy, other causes of periods stopping include stress, losing weight, exercising too much (long distance runners etc), and hormone problems.

Irregular periods

The interval between periods can vary in some women. Irregular periods may indicate that you do not ovulate every month, and the balance of the female hormones may be upset. Irregular periods are common in the few years leading up to the menopause.

All of these menstrual disorders can be addressed with acupuncture. The acupuncturist will take a full case history asking questions about the menstrual problems and other health issues but also asking questions about other aspects of the patient’s life. This will enable the acupuncturist to gain an overall picture and work out a treatment strategy which will be unique to that patient. The benefit of this holistic approach is that often the patient will see improvements in areas other than just the problem they originally sought help for.

Menopausal symptoms such as night sweats, hot flushes, palpitations, insomnia and headaches also often respond well to acupuncture.

If you have any questions about these issues and acupuncture, please do not hesitate to ask us. We will be happy to answer any queries. Email us at info@woodlandsacupuncture.co.uk and we will aim to respond within 24 hours. If you live in the Manchester area, you can make an appointment for a free 15 minute chat with the acupuncturist to find out how acupuncture could help you.