A powerful form of Chinese healing procedure used for thousands of years, acupuncture is a time-tested tradition that has successfully treated countless women health issues including PMS. PMS or premenstrual syndrome is often marked by chronic symptoms that manifest just before the onset of the menstrual cycle. Symptoms of PMS include food cravings, mood swings, changes in the skin, cramping, discomfort, and pain.

Can PMS be treated?

Yes, of course. But the most effective ways of treating this condition is by reducing one’s intake of caffeine, taking vitamins, eating a nutrient-rich diet, exercising, and removing stressors. However, these basic lifestyle modifications are oftentimes inadequate in alleviating the pain and discomforts experienced by people who suffer from chronic PMS.

Is there a Cure for PMS?

PMS sufferers will take consolation of the fact that an alternative and Eastern form of treatment known as acupuncture has been treating premenstrual syndrome for ages. Symptoms are quelled each month through the restoration of vitality and the removal of energy blockages in the body. A licensed acupuncturist or TCM practitioner can provide an effective and permanent cure for the imbalances related to this condition.

PMS Symptoms Natural Remedies

Lifestyle Changes

Passive exercises like Qi Gong and Tai Chi can help make the mind and body stronger against illness while they also help improve the flow of Qi (vital energy) in the body. When Qi flows smoothly and unimpeded, discomforts and diseases are lessened considerably.

Chinese Herbs

Certain Chinese herbal formulas can help balance your body and harmonize the body systems, especially the reproductive system. For PMS, the most common herbal concoction prescribed is Shao yao wan (Xiao Yao Wan) which means “Free and Easy Pill,” in English. This formula is composed of several herbs that serve to alleviate pain, relax the Liver, fortify the Spleen, nourish Blood, and relieve Qi stagnation.

Acupuncture

A licensed acupuncturist knows which acupuncture points to treat to stimulate the body in order to open up the meridians and improve Qi flow. The acupuncturist may concentrate on the relief of maladies like Qi stagnation and/or remove blockages to Qi flow. A woman may find complete cure of her energy and blood stagnation and PMS with just a few months of treatment.

Improving Your Life

Unfortunately, a lot of PMS sufferers are consigned to the belief that their PMS symptoms are natural conditions that they have to deal with for the rest of their lives and that there is very little they can do to reverse that. Doing a little research on PMS can be the start to improve your vitality and health.

Premenstrual syndrome or PMS, for short, affects about 70% to 90% of women in the United States, women who are not in menopause; however, PMS is not a problem for most of the women living in Southeast Asia. This difference may be attributed to the contrasting social structure and living style between the two cultures. Premenstrual syndrome is known as a dysfunction of the ovaries associated with a women’s cycle of menstruation. This condition affects a woman’s emotional and physical state and may, at times, interfere with her daily activities due to fluctuation in her hormones. PMS happens one to two weeks prior to menstruation. It then dissipates when the period begins. This article will deal with how acupuncture and Chinese herbal therapy can be used to treat PMS.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese form of treatment that has been utilized to alleviate the tension on any part in the body caused by blood and qi stagnation in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM.

How does acupuncture treat women with pre-menstrual syndrome?

Kidney deficiency – this type of deficiency leads to edema or water retention in the body of a woman suffering from PMS. To restore the function of the kidney, acupuncture is used. This treatment helps stimulate more fluid secretion which helps to remove toxins via urinary secretion.

Cramps and pains – acupuncture is able to alleviate menstrual cramps and pain resulting from overactive muscles in the stomach area. It does this by removing the cause of blood and qi stagnation. This causes the muscles to relax that then lessens stomach cramps and pain.

Yin and Yang qi – these two opposing but at the same time complementary forces of TCM play a huge role in the overall health of a person. Licensed Chinese herbalists agree that PMS is occasionally due to an imbalance in yin and yang qi in the woman’s body. When herbal therapy brings back the balance of these tow forces, the woman’s hormonal system starts to normally function that eventually helps in eliminating the symptoms of PMS.

Releasing the tension in the nervous – when blood flow improves due to acupuncture, the nervous system begins to relax, this results in the treatment of anxiety, insomnia and depression

Blood and liver qi stagnation – Chinese herbalists state that a large number of women suffering from PMS may have blood or liver q stagnation or even both. So, when inserting the needle in the important areas in the body (occasionally, electrical current can be utilized to make the results more effective), it also releases pressure and improves the function of liver resulting in lessened symptoms of PMS.