Acupuncture For Period Health

We are always on the lookout for natural, drug-free ways to manage our menstrual health - and today we are getting stuck into all things acupuncture.
Adam Hamdi
Written by

Coni Longden-Jefferson

 

We are always on the lookout for natural, drug-free ways to manage our menstrual health - and today we are getting stuck into all things acupuncture.

 

Key Takeaways

 

  • Acupuncture is an ancient practice but there is a lot of modern research to back up its validity 
  • This therapy has a bunch of benefits and uses including treating chronic pain, depression and even multiple sclerosis 
  • When practised by a specialist, acupuncture can help with period health symptoms including pain, PMS and irregular cycles - and can even support your fertility   

 

What is acupuncture?

 

The origins of acupuncture go back centuries. It’s a therapy derived from ancient Chinese Medicine but has become increasingly popular in Western cultures in the last few years. It’s now often used alongside traditional medicine to support people with various physical and mental health conditions. 

 

But how does it work?

 

When you go for acupuncture, an acupuncturist will insert very thin needles into your skin at multiple “acupoints”.The Traditional Chinese Medicine school of thought believes that energy (or qi) flows through the body via meridians. These meridians are accessible through 361 “acupoints”. The theory goes that when needles are inserted into those points it rebalances your body’s energy and can encourage your body to release natural chemicals and hormones that can help fight illness, reduce stress or relieve pain.  


This might sound a bit out there, but modern science seems to agree that acupuncture can exist. A 2017 review highlights that many acupuncture points are at sites where stimulation can affect the activity of multiple sensory neurons. 


 

What can acupuncture help with?

Acupuncture has many benefits and can help with a host of medical conditions. Research has shown that acupuncture can be an effective therapy in the treatment of:

Whilst acupuncture may not be a silver bullet or cure for many of these conditions, it seems it can certainly help with the management of symptoms. 


One of the key benefits of acupuncture is that it is totally free from drugs and hormones which limits potential side effects (just like our Myoovi Kit!). This also makes it a great therapy for the management of menstrual health issues.   

 

How can acupuncture help with our menstrual cycles?

 

At Myoovi we know that the menstrual cycle is an important indicator of our general health - which is something taught in Chinese medicine too!  When it comes to women’s health, acupuncture has been shown to regulate uterine and ovarian blood flow and also help to make cycles happier and healthier. 


Here are just some of the ways it can help you have a better period. 

 

Reducing Period Pain

 

A 2018 meta-analysis of acupuncture’s effect on chronic pain found that the practice can provide effective pain relief, but what about menstrual cramps specifically?

2018 was a big year for acupuncture research as a study undertaken that year indicated that acupuncture led to a “significant reduction” in several variables tested in 60 women with primary dysmenorrhea (intense period pain).  


The group that received acupuncture treatments over 3 months reported improvement in “pain, menstrual cramps, headache, nausea, and vomiting”. The group also reported improvements in mood and energy levels. 

 

Managing PMS

 

Research indicates that acupuncture can have a positive impact on the intensity of PMS symptoms - including low mood.


The effectiveness of acupuncture on hormonal mood swings could be down to a couple of things. Firstly we know that the practice is great at soothing our nervous systems and releasing feel-good hormones like endorphins. However, it can also have a more direct impact on our hormonal balance. Extreme PMS moods can often be linked to low progesterone and studies have shown that specialist acupuncture can be used to encourage progesterone production as well as support other hormones crucial for the smooth running of our cycle - like oestrogen.      

 

Regulating Cycles

 

This ability to support hormone production can also make acupuncture an effective treatment for women struggling with irregular cycles. 


If our periods are irregular, it often means that ovulation is being impacted in some way. This could be down to stress or a condition like PCOS. If stress is the leading cause of cycle irregularity, acupuncture can be very helpful for regulating the nervous system. 


However, if the irregularities are caused by hormonal imbalance the practice can also help to regulate the hypothalamus - which is the source of the sex hormones involved in our cycle! 


Most acupuncturists agree that for effective treatment of irregular cycles, it’s important to have treatment throughout each phase, so you can support the essential hormone levels needed for ovulation. 



If you are looking for more natural ways to support your menstrual cycle, explore our full range of tools and supplements - all drug-free and created with your hormonal harmony in mind.