Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Is Acupuncture a Viable Remedy for Menstrual Pain?

By Rob Green


Many ladies find that they experience cramps and pain just before menstruation occurs. These cramps can ordinarily cause a great deal of pain around the lower abdomen and lower back area. Most ladies have resorted to pain medications to cope with this condition, but there seems to be few other non-medical options.

The doctor's term for this occurrence is Dysmenorrhoea and is a very common gynaecological condition.

In Western medicine Dysmenorrhoea is commonly treated thru the utilisation of non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAID) or the contraceptive pill (the "Pill"). The reason these two methods are frequently utilized is that they can help to reduce the activity of the muscles in the uterus and lesson the effects of the cramps that cause pain. Now, by their very nature, each of the treatments provide only symptomatic relief and don't help treat the actual cause of this condition.

Additionally, the use of both a contraceptive pill and anti inflammatory drugs both come with the potential for one or two undesirable complications. NSAID are associated to 43% of drug-related emergency room visits in the United States. The side effects of NSAID are in many cases serious enough to cause in ulcers, upper gastrointestinal bleeding and in serious cases death. In America alone, a projected 103,000 hospitalizations and 16,500 deaths occur from NSAID use each year. Also, for those who do not experience these serious complications, 10-20% of patients prescribed NSAIDs experience upset stomach and nausea.

The side effects of the oral contraceptive pill are in most situations, not so severe as those that may be experienced with NSAIDs, but are still worth being aware of. Side effects of the Pill may include: breakthrough bleeding, high blood pressure and acne. In addition, there have been fears about weight gain, cancer and depression being linked to the utilisation of the contraceptive pill, though these complications haven't been proven.

What about an alternative to the Western medicinal therapies discussed? Here's where acupuncture comes into the picture. Acupuncture has been employed effectively to treat dysmenorrhoea for quite some time now. In most cases the pain associated with this condition subsides after a few acupuncture treatments.

When you visit your acupuncturist, they will likely ask you a collection of questions to identify the root of the discomfort. In a few cases, lifestyle factors such as diet, stress, anxiousness or other emotional factors can contribute to the severity of the problem.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) offers a few different treatment choices for dysmenorrhoea. 2 the treatments available for menstrual pain are Chinese herbs and acupuncture. Your acupuncturist can determine the correct and most effective strategy available to treat your personal condition and symptoms.




About the Author:



Add to Technorati Favorites Bookmark and Share

0 comments:

Solution for shoulder pain ,Natural treatment for arthritis, Causes of arthritis, Pain relief for fibromyalgia , Information on fibromyalgia 2012