Menstruation can vary greatly between people. Cramps, mood changes, clotting, pain, and discomfort, are just a few of the symptoms that people may experience during their menstrual cycle. In addition to these symptoms, many people experience symptoms such as bleeding outside of their usual menstrual period, very long bleeding periods, or the absence of bleeding altogether. These symptoms can worry many people, and fortunately, we can use acupuncture for irregular periods to help support a healthy menstrual cycle.
Irregular menstruation, also called metrorrhagia or intermenstrual bleeding, can be very concerning for many women and people who menstruate. People who experience intermenstrual bleeding can report irregular menstruation patterns; these patterns manifest as bleeding outside of a woman’s typical menstruation cycle timeframe, as well as other additional symptoms. According to Western medicine, there are various causes of metrorrhagia; these causes and factors include eating disorders, thyroid dysfunction, excessive exercise, various medications (including certain forms of birth control), stress, uncontrolled diabetes, obesity, and elevated levels of prolactin. Another cause of metrorrhagia may be a woman entering perimenopause. Lesions of the genital tract are also attracted to intermenstrual bleeding.
According to Chinese Medicine theory, irregular menstruation is related to a dysfunction of the Liver, as the LR is understood to have the charge of regulating menstruation. This dysfunction can have a variety of causes, including a lack of smooth flow of emotions, or unexpressed emotions such as resentment, frustration, and anger. Understanding this etiology will allow us to begin designing an acupuncture for irregular menstruation treatment.
In health, the uterus will shed its lining upon the failure of an egg to be fertilized. This will typically happen once within a certain time of the month and on a regular cycle. In intermenstrual bleeding, a woman may find she is bleeding outside of her typical period (often within 20 days of her typical cycle). Western medicine does not have a strong understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms of intermenstrual bleeding, and researchers Livingstone and Fraser note that the main mechanism for irregular menstruation is surface lesions of the genital tract. In addition to this, various hormone imbalances can send improper signals to the uterus, resulting in additional bleeding outside of the typical menstrual cycle.
According to Chinese medicine, the LR is responsible for ensuring the smooth flow of qi. Unexpressed emotions impact the LR’s ability to smooth the flow of qi and will begin to disrupt the flow of qi itself; this disruption results in the flow of qi beginning to become un-smooth and leads to stagnation of LR qi. This stagnation can go on to later cause LR blood stagnation. With the knowledge of this mechanism of imbalance, we can begin to think about diagnoses and points for an acupuncture for irregular periods treatment. By not having regular, smooth flow of qi, the typical menstrual cycle can fall out of balance.
Intermenstrual bleeding can manifest with a variety of symptoms, but it is characterized by irregular bleeding; bleeding is typically considered irregular if cycle length varies by more than 20 days from month-to-month. Additional signs and symptoms that can present include distension of the hypochondrium, sighing, hiccups, emotional stuckness, fluctuation of emotional state, nausea, plum-pit qi, difficulty swallowing, painful menstruation, breast distension before flow, thick, dark menstrual blood, and pain in the lower abdomen. A Chinese medical practitioner would also expect to see a dark tongue, possible with a white coat, as well as a stringy, wiry, taut pulse in the middle pulse position.
In order to diagnose this condition, both a Western medical practitioner and Chinese medicine practitioner would ask into various aspects of a woman’s health and menstrual cycle. Both would ask questions about bleeding including when bleeding starts, how long bleeding lasts, if there is a history of pregnancy and/or miscarriages, and a history of sexual activity. Other questions that would be asked pertaining to the menstrual cycle would look into the color, amount, and quality of the menstrual blood; pain would also be discussed. A western doctor may perform a physical exam to check into uterine function, as well as look for any other abnormalities in the body. Blood tests, hormone level tests, urine tests, ultrasounds of the abdomen and/or pelvis, a pap smear, or a CT scan may also be used by a Western practitioner to help determine the diagnosis. After doing so, the Western practitioner could diagnose intermenstrual bleeding/metrorrhagia.
In addition to asking into a woman’s menstrual health, a Chinese medical practitioner would ask into various body systems, as well as perform a physical exam, and examine the patient’s tongue and pulses. A Chinese medical practitioner would also likely ask into emotional function and wellbeing. Upon analysis of the patient information, a CM practitioner could diagnose intermenstrual bleeding as a LR qi stagnation pattern. Now, with this diagnosis, we can begin picking points for the acupuncture for irregular periods treatment.
Western medical practitioners may use various forms of hormonal birth control in order to regulate bleeding; they may use birth control pills, shorts, or a hormonal IUD. Over-the-counter pain relievers may also be recommended to help manage pain. An acupuncturist would address the pattern of LR qi stagnation with the treatment principle of regulating and smoothing LR qi, as well as dispersing the LR. To treat this using acupuncture for irregular periods, an acupuncturist could use the points GB34, LR3, LR8, LR13, LR14, TE6, PC6, and KI13. These points would all be reduced, and moxa would not necessarily be used.
Researchers Cai and Wu performed a study that compared the effects of two different acupuncture treatment methods for the treatment of menstrual complications. 40 participants were divided into either an experimental or control group. The experimental group was treated using “the mind-tranquilizing and menstruation-promoting method” which included points GV24, LI4, LR3, and SP6; the control group was treated to clear LR qi stagnation which used points LR2, LR5, SP10, SP8, and Zigong. In both groups, de qi was obtained, and the needles were retained for 30 minutes, with needle manipulation happening every 10 minutes. Treatment was administered every other day, with a 2-day hiatus during weekends, for 3 menstrual cycles. Upon completion of the study, Cai and Wu found statistical significance for both treatment methods to positively support menstruation and symptoms between the two groups. The researchers also conclude that the “mind-tranquilizing and menstruation-promoting method” of treatment offered greater therapeutic effects for regulating menstruation and accompanying symptoms than traditional treatment of LR qi stagnation.
In order to prevent intermenstrual bleeding from occurring, a practitioner could encourage the patient to eat a proper diet and get adequate exercise. They should also caution the patient not to over-exercise. It would also be advised to fully express emotions that are felt, in order to avoid them leading to further qi stagnation. A Chinese medicine practitioner, in addition to using acupuncture for irregular periods, may also encourage the patient to eat foods that promote the movement of qi; these foods include those with an acrid taste such as garlic, ginger, and pepper.
When using acupuncture for irregular periods, it is important for a practitioner to record, analyze, and use each of the patient’s symptoms to craft a treatment that is unique to and designed for them. As menstrual symptoms and regularities vary greatly between people, a practitioner needs to focus only on the patient in front of them and fully listen to what they say. By using acupuncture for irregular periods, we can work to heal and nourish the reproductive system, as well as support overall wellbeing. Contact me to learn more about acupuncture, what it can do for you, and how it can address your particular menstrual symptoms.
References
Cai, X. M., & Wu, J. (2009). The mind-tranquilizing and menstruation-regulating method for acupuncture treatment of delayed menstrual cycle—a clinical controlled study. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 29(1), 35-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0254-6272(09)60028-5
Livingstone, M., & Fraser, I. S. (2002). Mechanisms of abnormal uterine bleeding. European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, 8(1), 60-67. https://doi.org/10.1093/humupd/8.1.60
NIH. (2017, January 31). What causes menstrual irregularities? Https://www.nichd.nih.gov/. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/menstruation/conditioninfo/causes
Office of Women’s Health. (2018, March 16). Period problems? Womenshealth.gov. https://www.womenshealth.gov/menstrual-cycle/period-problems
DISCLAIMER: this blog post is intended for informational purposes only. Do not perform any treatments included in the post yourself. This includes, but is not limited to, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and Chinese nutritional therapy. They should only be performed by educated and licensed acupuncture practitioners.
National Institutes of Health (NIH) studies have shown that acupuncture is an effective treatment alone or in combination with conventional therapies to treat the following:
Nausea caused by surgical anesthesia and cancer chemotherapy
Dental pain after surgery
Addiction
Headaches
Menstrual cramps
Tennis elbow
Fibromyalgia
Myofascial pain
Osteoarthritis
Low back pain
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Asthma
It may also help with stroke rehabilitation.
If you are curious about the benefits of acupuncture, scheudule an appointment for a personal consultation, and evaluation.
