Menstrual pain, known in medical terms as dysmenorrhea, is very common and can become disabling for normal life.
Dysmenorrhea is defined as a sharp pain located in the lower abdomen or in the lumbosacral area. It may occur before, during or after menstruation.
The accompanying symptoms can be many, such as anxiety, diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness and fatigue. These symptoms can occur with a very mild intensity and somehow bearable or be very intense that do not allow normal life.
Dysmenorrhea can be of two types:
- Primary dysmenorrhea: appears in adolescence with the first menstruation.
- Secondary dysmenorrhea: appears after some time.
It is important that the patient sees her gynecologist and undergoes a gynecological control to rule out endometriosis, fibroids and other pathologies that could be the cause of menstrual pain.
Acupuncture treatment for menstrual period pain
Acupuncture, as part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, approaches dysmenorrhea as a stagnation of blood and energy. It can be a pain in fullness or emptiness and therefore each case will be treated differently.
Treatment is usually spread over 3 menstrual cycles with 1 treatment per week and maintenance for another 3 cycles.
In the case of a patient with severe pain the treatment is different, it is performed the days before the period, as it improves when expelling it. It is generally recommended for patients with long cycles, with abdominal swelling and marked premenstrual syndrome.
Each patient will have their own treatment and a detailed clinical history of all their pathologies will be taken together in order to be able to assess a comprehensive treatment.
- In short cycles there is usually sweating and restlessness.
- In long cycles there is not very abundant menstruation and pain in the last days of menstruation.
The causes that lead to these states are diverse:
- Prolonged fatigue.
- Periods of not sleeping.
- Emotional disorders.
- Food.
In general, women consult when they have been suffering from pain for a long time. Fortunately we see more and more young girls who want to regulate their periods and put their hormonal system in order.