Painful Periods? Try Acupuncture!

By the Acuworx Team

So we’ve all been there -the bloating, crying, weird food cravings, tender breasts, irritability, and finally (but definitely not least) the terrible pain and cramping associated with our dreaded period.  Menstrual cramps, or dysmenorrhea, is one of the most common gynecologic complaints we see at the studio. 

Dysmenorrhea is divided into two categories primary and secondary.

• Primary is defined as menstrual pain without an underlying pelvic condition. The pain is associated with a hormone-like substance called prostaglandin which is naturally released to help the body expel the lining of the uterus by helping to trigger uterine muscle contractions. When these contractions happen, some of the blood supply to the muscles and tissues of the uterus can be cut off causing pain.

• Secondary is defined as menstrual pain resulting from pelvic pathology caused from disorders like endometriosis, fibroids, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), or ovarian cysts.

Western treatments for primary dysmenorrhea include birth control, NSAIDs, and opioid analgesics. For secondary, treatment can involve surgery to remove the uterine obstruction.  In my clinical experience, however, even after medications and surgeries, many women still have severe pain during their periods. So, what’s a girl to do?

 The good news is that your period doesn’t have to be painful! When talking to patients about their menstrual cycle, many think it’s normal to experience pain. I’m here to tell you that acupuncture can relieve dysmenorrhea and help with hormone regulation. 

 How does Traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture help with dysmenorrhea?

From a Western perspective, menstrual cramps are due to a decreased amount of blood and oxygen supply to the uterus. In Chinese Medicine, pain is associated with blood and lymph not flowing properly through channels or meridians that run up and down the body.  Pain is caused when there’s a stagnation of blood and lymph. Chinese medicine works by stimulating blood flow to the uterus and therefore increasing the proper nourishment of muscles and tissues. It helps to reduce chronic inflammation through stimulation of the nervous system. It also increases endorphin release and is a hormone regulator that can help to minimize pain and regulate symptoms such as mood swings and irritability. I usually recommend patients receive treatments on a weekly basis for at least 3 months to start seeing the benefits. We often use a combination of acupuncture with Chinese herbal medicine for optimal results. This is a subtle medicine that works on allowing the body to heal itself.

 Also, I recommend patients try castor oil packs at home in conjunction with weekly acupuncture treatments. Castor helps relax smooth muscles which has an effect on the uterus, fallopian tubes, bowels, blood, and lymph vessels to promote healing. Here are following instructions to make your own!

 DIY Castor Oil Packs

You’ll need:

• Cold pressed hexane free castor oil for external use

• Heating pad or hot water bottle

• Wool flannel

• Plastic wrap

• Baking soda

• Old towel 

Instructions: 

• Be sure to wear comfy clothes 

• Cut the wool flannel into a strip that’s about 12”x14” and place it on a flat surface on top of a piece of plastic wrap

• Pour about 3 tablespoons of castor oil onto the center of the pad. The material doesn’t need to be dripping with oil, but it should be evenly distributed with enough to rub off onto the skin

• Place the flannel over the lower abdomen for menstrual issues

• Use the plastic wrap or another large piece of wool flannel to wrap the pack around your body

• Place the heating pad or hot water bottle on top of the plastic and lie on the couch with your feet elevated for 90 minutes

• Meditate, journal, read, & catch up on a favorite podcast

• Wash off the castor oil by sprinkling with baking soda after peeling the pack off 

• Save and reuse the pack for another use by storing it in a ziplock bag or mason jar in the refrigerator to reuse for a max of 8 times

Kits are also available, see below for links

 Frequency:

·  3x/week for 6 weeks

·  Avoid during a period, if you have heavy menstrual flow, or are pregnant

Too lazy for DIY castor oil packs?

Buy a castor oil kit here and here.

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