Acupuncture For Menstrual Pain
May 7th, 2010
Approximately 40-50 percent of women experience primary dysmenorrhoea, or menstrual cramps, due to an undetermined cause. For some women, the pain can become more severe or last longer as they grow older.
Women may also experience menstrual-related symptoms, such as nausea, migraine, backache, and mood swings. Common treatments include painkillers, heat applied to the lower abdomen and exercise. Recently, acupuncture has been assessed as a potential treatment for dysmenorrhoea.
A new study from the Oriental Hospital at Kyung Hee University Medical Center in Korea analyzes evidence for the use of acupuncture to treat period pains and concludes acupuncture is promising as a primary dysmenorrhoea treatment.
The review examined several trials on the use of acupuncture to treat dysmenorrhoea. Women preferred acupuncture for period pain to other treatment options, including no treatment, placebo, pharmacological treatment, or psychological intervention. The study appears in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Convincing evidence indicates the effectiveness of using acupuncture to treat pain by increasing the production of endorphins and serotonin in the central nervous system. “Some women suffer from intense period pains so much that they are unable to function normally,” says Professor Philip Steer, BJOG editor-in-chief.
Acupuncture treats many menstrual-related symptoms, including:
· Abdominal cramping.
· Headache.
· Irritability.
· Fatigue and insomnia.
· Mood swings.
The National Institutes of Health recommend acupuncture as either a supplemental or alternative treatment for menstrual pain.
For information about acupuncture for menstrual pain call Dr. Richard Browne, Acupuncture Physician, at (305) 595-9500.
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