Acupuncture For Premenstrual Tension

Premenstrual tension (PMT) is the name given to the symptoms that women can experience in the weeks and days leading up to their period.

This is entirely natural and the majority of women will have symptoms at some point in their lives, with the most common being mood swings, irritability, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, bloating, abdominal pain, headaches, breast tenderness, changes in appetite, greasy hair, and spotty skin.

There are various ways in which you can help ease your symptoms, whether that’s by taking painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen, by getting regular exercise, eating a well-balanced diet, getting seven to eight hours of sleep a night or trying stress reduction techniques like mindfulness meditation and yoga.

Your GP may also recommend other treatments such as dietary supplements, hormonal medication and cognitive behavioural therapy, but if you’d rather try alternative options, you may well find that acupuncture can help relieve your symptoms, reduce their severity and perhaps even stop them altogether.

How can acupuncture help with PMT?

It’s not entirely understood just why women experience PMT, although some studies suggest that it could be down to changes in hormone levels during the menstrual cycle. It’s also not known why some women suffer more than others in this regard - but the good news is that there is a lot you can do to relieve your symptoms and make you feel like you again.

In traditional Chinese medicine, the menstrual cycle is a strong indicator of both reproductive and general health. Studies have been done that show acupuncture can be particularly effective in addressing the symptoms of PMT, so if you are suffering in this regard and want to regain control, you may find this therapy of particular benefit.

The severity of your symptoms will largely dictate how many sessions you’ll need to have, but typically going for acupuncture once a month a week or so before your period is due to start can help alleviate distress.

The abdomen is one of the most important areas to treat when using acupuncture for PMT, as well as the pelvic joints. Very fine needles will be inserted in these areas to help treat abdominal discomfort, including gas, cramps and bloating. 

Your acupuncturist is also likely to treat the area between the hipbone and the posterior to help relax the uterus, relieving lower back pain, hip pain and pelvic pain, as well as relieving menstrual cramps.

If you have been struggling with PMT and feel like there’s no end in sight to your suffering, get in touch with me here at Acuwellness to find out more about her integrated approach. I combine traditional Chinese medicine with different styles and techniques to help address a range of different health conditions, including PMT.