Natural Relief for PMS

Photo by yildirayildirim.

Menstrual cycles are different for every woman and traditional Chinese Medicine treatments, tailored to suit each different woman, can relieve symptoms, even if you’ve experienced these symptoms for your entire life.

Problem: irritability, breast tenderness, bloating, cravings and painful cramping every month with your period.

Solution: lie on a massage table, allow a trained practitioner to insert very thin needles to into specific body points, and relax while the needles regulate the energy in your body. This energy, along with the hormones that are bouncing wildly around, could be responsible for the disruption you feel a few days out of the month.

That’s right, we’re talking about acupuncture. Acupuncture treatment for PMS works best when combined with traditional Chinese herbal therapy, a combination of herbs to move energy in your body and relieve symptoms.

Keep in mind that herbal formulas are meant to be taken before the symptoms start, not like ibuprofen, which you take after you start to feel pain. This means that you will take the formula a specific times in your cycle, not just when you are feeling pain. These herbs, in conjunction with the acupuncture, are a great way to relive the symptoms.

Here are a few lifestyle tips to keep symptoms under control:

• Reduce stress levels when possible.
• Reducing caffeine and sugar intake, especially before the cycle begins.
• Develop a regular exercise routine throughout the month.
• Regular acupuncture treatments and prescribed herbal medicine.

Remember that your body may be more sensitive to needles just before your cycle begins, so be sure to keep up a steady conversation with your practitioner. Treatments should be once a week for 6 weeks, and you and your practitioner can discuss how often you will need treatments after that.

Enjoy your weekly treatment, you might even find you look forward to it after the first one!

Amy Chitwood, L.Ac. is a graduate of the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. She is nationally board certified in Chinese herbal medicine and manages the Portland Acupuncture Blog.