Can Acupuncture Help Regulate My Menstrual Cycle?

The menstrual cycle is a huge part of a woman's life, so knowing and understanding your period can help you better regulate your health and life! The average female begins her monthly cycle around 11 to 14 years old. Often the duration of our period begins to shorten as we age. Depending on our hormones, stress, and a few other factors, we may develop irregular menstrual cycles and maybe even amenorrhea or absence of a period when we are in our reproductive age. The cycle continues up until menopause (around age 50+) but one may start seeing signs of menopausal symptoms around her 40s. Symptoms like, hot flashes, irritability, moodiness, poor sleep, and night sweating are common symptoms. So, how can acupuncture help? Before we get into that, let’s talk a little bit more about the women’s cycle and what we should be looking out for when keeping track. Especially, when your cycle is irregular!

Here are some possible reasons why your menstrual cycle may be irregular and a few tips you may want to consider.

Why is my menstrual cycle irregular?

According to Cleveland Clinic, a regular menstrual cycle lasts 4-7 days and occurs every 28 days. Deviation from that is considered irregular. Here are some possible reasons for that irregular period.

• Stress and Anxiety

• Lifestyle Changes

• Birth Control Pills

• Hormone Imbalances

• Pregnancy

• Certain Medication

While it is common to have irregular cycles every now and then, sometimes it may be due to something a little bit more complicated. Thus, it is important to get your routine pap smear (every 3 years is ideal) and consult your primary care physician should you find yourself having prolonged irregular cycles. Irregular cycles may be due to more serious conditions like:

• PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)

• Endometriosis

• PID (Pelvic Inflammatory Disease)

• Uterine or Cervical Cancer

So how does acupuncture help regulate my menstrual cycles?

Irregular periods are often times due to hormone imbalances and conventionally treated with birth control pills, hormone therapy, and the like. Sometimes, these treatments may lead to unwanted side effects like:

• Spotting between periods

• Nausea

• Headaches

• Breast tenderness

There are many approaches to regulating a patient’s irregular period. By default, acupuncture may help reduce stress as the stimulation of certain acupuncture points has shown to help release endorphins and serotonin. Promoting circulation to the reproductive organs through stimulation of the needles is another way in which acupuncture can help with the flow.

Oftentimes, women seen with prolonged irregular cycles and stress may also experience infertility issues. Acupuncture treatments have become a popular conjoining treatment plan with IVF procedures to help regulate ovaries function and hormones of the endocrine system. Please be advised that difficulty in conception may not be all due to the women. Our male partners may also be experiencing fertility deficiencies as well. And yes, acupuncture can help improve sperm quality in males as indicated in the research paper attach.

In a clinical study done in 2019, researchers found that acupuncture had a similar effect as medication used for regulating menstrual cycles. However, acupuncture showed to have had a longer curative effect in regulating cycles and improving ovulation.

So, if you are seeking an alternative or have a physician who is open to integrative care, reach out!

Citation:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14633-abnormal-menstruation-periods

Zhang, L., Li, J., Pan, S., Zhang, X., Li, Y., Hu, S., & Chen, W. (2019). Zhongguo zhen jiu = Chinese acupuncture & moxibustion, 39(5), 489–494. https://doi.org/10.13703/j.0255-2930.2019.05.008

Zhu, J., Arsovska, B., & Kozovska, K. (2018). Acupuncture Treatment for Fertility. Open access Macedonian journal of medical sciences, 6(9), 1685–1687. https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2018.379