Women’s Health

Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine offer a holistic approach to women’s health, addressing a wide range of concerns. By promoting balance and harmony within the body, these traditional healing practices empower women to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. Dr. Jes and Dr. Danielle both specialize in Women’s Health, treating issues such as Menopause, Hormonal Imbalances, Pregnancy and Postpartum, PCOS, and Endometriosis.

Women’s Health

Traditional Chinese Medicine has long been used to treat issues related to women’s health. Clinically, we have found that using multiple modalities including Chinese herbal prescriptions, acupuncture, pharmaceutical-grade supplements, lifestyle guidance, and holistic nutrition to treat these conditions to be quite effective:

• Hormonal Imbalances
• Cycle Regulation
• Painful Menses
• Endometriosis / PCOS / Cysts / Fibroids
• PMS
• Premature Ovarian Failure
• Fertility Support
• Third-Party Parenthood (egg, sperm, and embryo donation)
• Surrogacy

Cycle Regulation

One of the significant benefits of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine for women is its ability to manage menstrual symptoms and disorders effectively.

Many women experience symptoms such as painful cramps, moodiness, breast tenderness, cravings, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), etc. around the time of menstruation. While these symptoms are very common, they are not “normal,” and are actually signs of small imbalances within the body.
Others experience more severe issues such as irregular periods, dysmenorrhea (painful periods), amenorrhea (lack of period), excessive bleeding, PCOS, Endometriosis, etc. Conditions such as these can be very disruptive to regular life activities.

Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can help to alleviate these symptoms and regulate the menstrual cycle so that patients can go on to live life without being disrupted by the arrival of their menstrual flow!

Menopause

Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can provide relief from menopausal symptoms. Menopause is a natural transition in a woman’s life, but it often comes with uncomfortable symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and insomnia. Acupuncture treatments can help balance the body’s energy, ease hormonal fluctuations, and alleviate these symptoms, improving the overall quality of life for women during this stage.

Menopause symptoms we often work with:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Mood swings
• Insomnia or poor sleep
• Fatigue
• Vaginal dryness
• Weight gain
• Joint pain
• Digestive issues
• Headaches

Other Issues Commonly Experienced
By Women

Stress and anxiety are prevalent issues that affect women’s health significantly. Acupuncture has been shown to reduce stress and promote relaxation by stimulating the release of endorphins, the body’s natural stress relievers. It can also help balance the body’s energy, leading to a sense of calm and emotional well-being. By addressing these mental and emotional aspects, acupuncture plays a vital role in enhancing women’s mental health and resilience.

Fibromyalgia is most common in women, effecting between 2-8% of the female population. You can learn more about how acupuncture can offer relief to fibromyalgia symptoms here.

Another area where acupuncture and Chinese Medicine excel is in promoting better sleep quality. Insomnia and other sleep disturbances are common among women, often due to hormonal imbalances, stress, or anxiety. Acupuncture treatments can regulate sleep patterns by addressing the underlying causes, helping women achieve restful and rejuvenating sleep.

How Does Acupuncture Work?

Currently, there are no conclusive studies on why acupuncture works as a whole. However, there is evidence supporting the effectiveness of several aspects of acupuncture treatment.

• Studies in animals and people, including studies that used imaging methods to see what’s happening in the brain, have shown that acupuncture may affect nervous system function.
• Acupuncture may have direct effects on the tissues where the needles are inserted. This type of effect has been seen in connective tissue.
• Acupuncture used in conjunction with fertility treatments such as IUI or IVF showed a statistically significant increase in positive outcomes for patients.
• Acupuncture has nonspecific effects (effects due to incidental aspects of a treatment rather than its main mechanism of action). Nonspecific effects may be due to the patient’s belief in the treatment, the relationship between the practitioner and the patient, or other factors not directly caused by the insertion of needles. In many studies, the benefit of acupuncture has been greater when it was compared with no treatment than when it was compared with sham (simulated or fake) acupuncture procedures, such as the use of a device that pokes the skin but does not penetrate it. These findings suggest that nonspecific effects contribute to the beneficial effect of acupuncture on pain or other symptoms.
• In recent research, a nonspecific effect was demonstrated in a unique way: Patients who had experienced pain relief during a previous acupuncture session were shown a video of that session and asked to imagine the treatment happening again. This video-guided imagery technique had a significant pain-relieving effect.

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