Women's Health and Wellness: Addressing PMS
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a complex collection of symptoms which effect millions of women each month. Symptoms of PMS can include: bloating, cramping, breast tenderness, fatigue, headache, emotional upset, and constipation. It is believed that up to 80% of women of reproductive age experience some symptoms of PMS.
From an integrative perspective, there are many different approaches to tending women with PMS symptoms. Acupuncture, nutritional and lifestyle counseling as well as physical modalities of Oriental medicine are effective in treating women suffering from PMS symptoms.
In 1997, the National Institue of Health (NIH) issued a report suggesting acupuncture is effective in treating menstrual cramps and other symptoms associated with PMS. Typically the course of treatment for spans 3 cycles. Treatments do not merely suppress symptoms, but rebalance the entire body. Whether you suffer from PMS symptoms on an accoasional or monthly basis, Rachel can offer a safe, natural and effective approach to alleviating these symptoms. Acupuncture and Chiense medicine may hold to the key to a healthier, balanced and PMS-free life.
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There was a statistical and relevant reduction in PMS symptoms with the acupuncture treatments... The success rate of acupuncture in treating PMS symptoms was 77.8%, whereas it was 5.9% in the placebo group. - Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics. 2002;67(1)
Increased Fertility with Acupuncture
A landmark study published in the medical journal Fertility and Sterility found that acupuncture dramatically improves the chances of becoming pregnant when used in conjunction with other assisted reproductive techniques (ART). Researches from Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York reviewed studies and concluded that acupuncture: increases blood flow to the uterus which improves the chances of an ovum implanting in the uterine wall; reduces anxiety, stress and hormones secreted during stressful situations that may significantly decrease fertility; and normalizes hormone and endocrine systems that regulate ovulations, especially in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Acupuncture is also shown to positively affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, which plays a key role in fertility.
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine provide a safe, effective, drug-free and natural approach to treating subfertility and enjoying a healthy pregnancy. Also consider acupuncture during your pregnancy and birth. Learn more here...
Call for your appointment today 319 331 9312.
Clinical pregnancies were documented in 42.5% in the acupuncture group, whereas pregnancy rate was only 26.3% in the control group.
- Fertil Steril. 2002;77:721–4
Acupuncture in Pregnancy and Childbirth
A pre-birth treatment involves a series of 3-4 treatments weekly from 36 or 37 weeks to prepare for labor. Points are used according a woman's constition and pregnancy history. These include points to ripen the cervix, to help position the baby in the best presintation for labor and to promote optimal energy and stamina for women to enter into labor.
According to the World Health Organization [WHO], acupuncture has been found useful for relieving labor pain, nausea, vomiting and significantly reducing the duration of labor. Learn about pain relief in child birth...
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For those women who received prepbirth acupuncture there was an overall 35% reduction in the number of inductions (for women having their first baby this was a 43% reduction) and a 31% reduction in the epidural rate. - Debra Betts, The Essential Guide to Acupuncture in Pregnancy and Child birth
Positioning the Fetus
Breech babies are ideally treated between 34 - 36 weeks gestation. This is often a one off treatment with women being shown how to continue treatment at home with a moxa stick (Artesmisia Vulgaris, an herb that has been shaped into a cigar like stick). The moxa stick is lit and held over specific places in the body to stimulate the acupuncture points.
Call for your appointment today 319 331 9312.
Treating Menopausal Symptoms
Menopause is not a disease, it is the normal physiological transition in a woman's life from a reproductive to a non-reproductive state. Indeed many women don't experience any uncomfortable symptoms, while others do experience symptoms to various degrees. From a Chinese perspective, emotional stress, such as worry, anxiety, and fear are extremely important causes of menopausal symptoms.
Conventional medical treatments only address symptoms associated with menopause. These are just one part of the whole picture. I will conduct a thorough evaluation and complete health history. Learning about your symptoms, signs and whole body health enables me to develop a unique treatment plan to address each individual's needs.
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine offer a safe, natural, drug-free and effective way to address menopause symptoms including headaches, fatigue, lethargy, mood swings, insomnia, hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness or loss of libido.
A 2004 Swedish study shows acupuncture reducing the number of daily hot flash episodes by 52%