For the majority of women, period pains have to be addressed with short term treatments – whether that involves using a heat pad or buying a pain killer from their local chemist – before getting on with their daily lives. However, for women who suffer extreme period pains, this is probably insufficient. Acupuncture for period pain has been hitting the headlines recently. It might seem unlikely that putting needles into your body could be effective at reducing menstrual cramps and similar symptoms linked to periods. This may be the case though.
Period pain, or dysmenorrhoea, is something that young women often experience. One of the common symptoms are abdominal cramps that can move to the thighs or lower back. Other symptoms include sickness, nausea, migraines, diarrhea, anxiety, dizziness and tiredness. Data from a recent study indicates that the length and severity of period pains can be lowered by as much as a half, by using manual acupuncture.
This research was carried out by Doctor Mike Armour from NICM (the Complementary Medicine Institute) at the University of Western Sydney. His colleagues, based at Auckland University’s Gynecology and Obstetrics Department, were involved as well. They published their conclusions in the PLOS One journal. This study involved seventy-four women, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five. These participants received acupuncture treatment for a few months, the effects of which often lasted for as long as twelve months. In addition, several women reported that they didn’t have to take painkillers to reduce their symptoms, and that they experienced less occurrences of nausea and migraines.
Each treatment provided during the test adhered to a protocol depending on data gathered from expert acupuncturists from New Zealand and Australia, as well as focus groups. This treatment originates from traditional Chinese medicine. It is also derived from the Zang Fu medical system, which assesses the characteristics of all organs and the manner in which they interact with one another.
It is worth noting that, because acupuncture is regarded as a complementary treatment in America, most health insurance firms do not cover it. Therefore, it can become rather costly. Although acupuncture is not suitable for all women, it might be good to try this old fashioned treatment if over the counter drugs and heat pads are not doing the trick during your time of the month. Of course, more studies need to be conducted to determine the full impact that acupuncture has on reproductive health. Notwithstanding, it is a safe bet that the technique might be useful to anyone searching for a way of managing period pains.
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