Menstrual Health: Part 1 of Treating Women’s Health Conditions with Chinese Medicine.
- timiliffacu
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
This article outlines how Chinese medicine can help women approach their unique health needs around menstruation. Further articles will be linked addressing other female health issues including fertility, menopause, and other common conditions.
In Chinese medicine menstruation is viewed as one of the foundations of a woman’s health. Menstruation affects not only a woman’s fertility but also contributes to and is an indicator of the total health of her mind and body.
Here are general menstrual health guidelines from the 2,500-year clinical experience of acupuncture:
Each month’s cycle is an indicator of a woman’s health.
If her reproductive organs and other glandular functions are in balance, she will have an easy flow between the four phases of the menstrual cycle with minimal or no changes in mood or pain and discomfort.
Bleeding occurs the same week every month. Typically, with a couple of days of spotting on either side with a few days of regular bleeding.
The color should be red and flow easily without clots.
As a reference, regular bleeding approximates to using 1 regular tampon every 3 hours.
Common symptoms that a woman’s menstrual cycle is out of balance:
Significant pain or agitation at any phase of her monthly cycle.
PMS (unusual mood swings including irritability, depression “dysmorphia” etc), cramps, or bloating the week before her period.
Irregular bleeding. Too much or too little. Clots, flooding, etc.
Skin outbreaks or allergies.
When these imbalances occur, practitioners of Chinese medicine use treatment and self-care protocols to relieve both the symptoms and correct the systems involved.
Note from our acupuncturist on the course of treatment:
Many women visit the acupuncture clinic with complaints of irregular periods, pain, cramps, or bloating and mood swings or sleep loss surrounding hormonal shifts. When you enter the clinic you list all your symptoms and health history and consult with the practitioner on what issues you need help with most.
We diagnose the imbalance from the framework of Chinese medicine (it's approach to gynecology) and create an individualized plan that may include acupuncture, herbs, nutrition, and stress-reducing exercise such as tai chi with two goals: Get you immediate symptomatic relief and address the underlying imbalance so that your menstrual health improves over time.
Home care tips for women: Moxa Boats for Hemorrhoids and Gynecological Health
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