Period Pain
As much as this is important for women to know guys should be aware of this also. Why? You may ask? Because you may have to look after your or someone else’s daughter one day. Another reason may be that you just want to love your wife or girlfriend and knowing some simple keys will mean the difference between peace and suffering for her.
What is period pain?
Period pain is what a female may experience when she has her menstrual cycle. The pain can come before or during her menstrual cycle and the intensity can vary from person to person. The pain may be slight cramps or it can be so debilitating she may have to check into a hospital.
Does every woman experience period pain?
No, and they shouldn’t! Most women I speak with have a belief that period pain is a phenomenon that all women go through but this is far from the truth. Period pain is a symptom of your body being out of balance and not a natural part of the menstrual cycle. Women should not experience any pain at all with their period whether it is breast tenderness, low abdomen cramps or any other pain.
What actually happens every month?
The menstrual cycle is a shedding of the uterus wall and it should happen without pain. Every month a woman’s uterus creates a lining of blood vessels to prepare a home for the anticipated fertilized egg. If a woman becomes pregnant the egg will feed off the wall of blood until a developed baby has grown. If pregnancy does not occur the uterus will shred the lining and this is what is called your menstrual cycle or period. This process should be pain free but for a lot of women its not.
Why pain occurs.
In Chinese medicine we talk about liver Qi stagnation, cold in the lower Jiao, cold in the channels, blood deficiency and stagnation of blood. These are all terms that will be the reason why a woman will experience period pain. Simply put, if the blood or energy is not flowing freely around the uterus a women will experience pain.
The Liver organ is the main culprit
The Livers job is to smoothly circulate energy (Qi) and blood around the body. It is also responsible for the suppleness of muscle and tendons, lubricated eyes and the ability to see as well as preparing a fertile ground within the uterus for a baby to grow. When the Liver energy is out of balance we will experience liver Qi stagnation and blood stagnation. And this takes us to why a woman will experience period pain. Liver Qi stagnation is caused usually by stress, the liver becomes heated and aggravated by emotional turmoil and then the Liver Qi will stagnate giving the body pain. Qi stagnation will inturn stagnate blood flow and then a stabbing type pain will be felt. To rectify this problem you could have acupuncture, massage if the symptoms are not to bad and Chinese herbs.
Cold in the lower Jiao or channels
If you could imagine a lake flowing nicely just before the cold snap of winter and then all of a sudden it freezes. “Well”, this is something like what happens with the blood that circulates around the uterus when it’s invaded by cold or cold gets into the acupuncture channels. When cold invades the body your blood will stagnate and this will give you very severe cramping.
The above symptoms are the main reasons why a woman will experience period pain. Other reasons may be dampness, meaning there is a type of mouldy by product developed in your body due to digestive system weakness and this prevents the blood from circulating. And another reason may be endometriosis.
Period pain can be prevented and can be treated without going on the pill or any other chemical intervention. If you have cold the pain will be stabbing, for this drink ginger tea with a little honey. If there is a cramping sensation this is liver Qi stagnation and in this case do something relaxing like walking in the park and look at the green grass and trees. Green soothes the liver. Also meditation and yoga Nidra will help ease tension. The gym is not recommended it is stressful on the body and will only make the pain worse. And if you have blood stagnation you can do both. The warmth of the ginger will help move the blood and relaxation will help free up any Qi stagnation.
Many women experience tiredness and dizziness after their period and this is because of lack of blood and the body’s inability to replenish the blood lost after a period. This subject will be spoken more about in another BOYF news letter.
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Putting an End to Period Pain
The TCM Treatment of Dysmenorrhea
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is well known for effectively treating pain conditions like arthritic knees and sore backs but many are surprised that TCM is extremely effective at treating common gynaecological problems such as dysmenorrhea.
Painful periods (or dysmenorrhea) affect over 50% of menstruating females and is indicated by the presence of sharp or dull, painful cramps which can be intermittent or constant in the low abdomen or back before, during or after the period. Many females will live with this discomfort and never seek medical attention; believing that the pain is something they just have to live with. Some women are so incapacitated by the pain that missing work or school every month is a common occurrence.
What is Dysmenorrhea?
Dysmenorrhea can be classified into two categories; primary and secondary. Primary dysmenorrhea is when there is no known cause for the pain (idiopathic). Secondary dysmenorrhea is when there is an underlying cause to the pain such as endometriosis (the most common cause), pelvic inflammatory disease or from a structural abnormality in the uterus.
Western Medical Treatments for Dysmenorrhea
The most common medical treatments for dysmenorrhea are the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, naproxen, Motrin etc). If women are also interested in contraception, then the birth control pill can be prescribed which has also shown to be effective. The problem is that many of these treatments are aimed at symptomatic relief rather than long-term management of the conditions. In addition, these treatment’s side effects have aroused increasing concern. An increasing number of women are interested in more than just masking the pain and are looking for solutions which will treat the root of the problem safely and naturally.
How TCM views Dysmenorrhea
Within the framework of TCM, menstruation plays a very important role in a females health and is talked about freely and openly. TCM practitioners are able to gain tremendous insight into a females general health just by observing their menstrual cycle carefully. TCM practitioners are mostly concerned about the women’s length of cycle, the amount of bleeding, the colour and quality of the blood and if there is any pain involved. An imbalance is usually involved if a woman’s period is irregular, is always heavy or scanty, if there is pain (just to name a few). With the use of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, these imbalances can be corrected which will ultimately regulate the period and in the case of dysmenorrhea, stop the pain.
TCM Causes of Dysmenorrhea
There are many different causes of painful menstruation when it comes to traditional Chinese medicine. It should be noted that all cases of dysmenorrhea are looked at individually despite similar symptoms in different individuals and may be treated with completely different herbs or acupuncture points. This is why it is so important that when you go to a TCM practitioner, you go to someone with appropriate training.
Note: When working with a proper TCM practitioner, you will find that they will use unfamiliar medical terminology when describing your health condition. Wind, Dampness, Qi (chee) stagnation and Yang deficiency are just a few of the common descriptive terms used. Initially they seem strange but when used in a TCM context, they paint a picture of harmony (or disharmony) which will ultimately guide the TCM practitioner to choose the correct acupuncture points or the right combination of herbs.
The following are TCM diagnosis of dysmenorrhea along with common signs and symptoms. Some females will fit perfectly within the pattern described but most will be a combination of 2-3 patterns.
Liver Qi Stagnation: very common diagnosis. Mostly involves PMS symptoms like irritability, depression, breast distension and a dull low abdominal pain.
Blood Stagnation: symptoms usually involve severe, stabbing low abdomen or back pain with a dark flow and clots.
Cold Dampness: typically involves late periods with menstrual pain that is cold and sharp and improves with the application of heat.
Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency: painful periods with accompanying low back and knee pain with a light flow.
Qi & Blood Deficiency: often a light and short period with pain typically coming after the period is over.
Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs
Both acupuncture and Chinese herbs are necessary for the successful treatment of dysmenorrhea.
Acupuncture is a very safe and effective way to reduce all types of pain including menstrual pain and should be administered by a trained TCM practitioner for optimal results. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has indicated that acupuncture is effective at treating dysmenorrhea. Acupuncture regulates many functions in the body including the inflammation process and the endocrine (hormone) system which directly influence menstruation. Depending on the diagnosis, points on the hands, feet, legs, abdomen and back will be considered. Points on the ear are often used and can be very helpful in keeping the client relaxed during treatment.
A recent article in the Journal of Evidence Based Alternative and Complementary Medicine (2007) indicated that acupuncture reduced pain due to dysmenorrhea by over 60%. Also, the use of NSAID’s for the treatment of dysmenorrhea was reduced by an average of 63%. Most striking is the fact that the majority of women receiving the acupuncture (over 55%) were still experiencing relief over 6 months after treatment had ended; indicating that the benefits of acupuncture are more than just symptomatic relief.
There are thousands upon thousands of herbs in the TCM pharmacopeia and it takes many years to become an expert. There is no one herb for a given condition and depending on the diagnosis given, there could be anywhere from six to twenty herbs in a treatment protocol. Herbs are generally taken as a tea, twice daily until the therapeutic result has been achieved. It is extremely important that those interested in receiving herbal therapy go to a qualified practitioner with experience in gynecology. Administering the wrong herbs during specific stages of the female cycle can potentially increase pain and/or bleeding. This can be avoided by seeing someone specifically trained in traditional Chinese herbology.
Other Treatment Considerations
Diet plays a large role in the treatment of dysmenorrhea and should always be a part of the treatment protocol. Certain foods like refined sugars and flours, red meats, dairy and fried foods should be avoided along with excessive alcohol and smoking. These foods can increase inflammation and may contribute to the problem. Supplements like Evening Primrose oil (anti-inflammatory effect), calcium and magnesium (muscle relaxing effect), niacin (B3) and pyridoxine (B6) have also shown to decrease the frequency and severity of menstrual cramps.
Deep breathing exercises, sacral (low back) massage and regular exercise are also effective at treating menstrual pain and can easily be performed in the comfort of your own home.
Traditional Chinese medicine is a wonderful primary medical system, perfect for treating many health conditions; much more than just pain management. Contact your local TCM practitioner today to start your journey towards a healthier, pain-free period.
Pain Free Periods In 60 Days –
With the right help, you can finally end your menstrual pain for good.
You are not alone.
I’m going to share my discoveries with you so you don’t have to keep suffering in vain.
I’m about to take light years off your learning curve and lead you down the path of healing with the same supportive guidance as your favorite aunt. Why?
The simple fact is this… I want this information to get into as many hands as possible because too many of women are suffering in silence.
Did you know that over 90 million women across the world suffer from feminine reproductive issues and are not getting the right help they need to end their misery? Medical statistics revealed that in North America alone, 5.5 million women suffer from endometriosis!
But the body is such an amazing creation.
And if we simply understood our body a little better, we could give it what it needs to heal itself.
You could let your body repair the damage and end the pain you are experiencing month after month. Because once you’re healed inside, the pain will stop.
You could also empower your sisters, mothers, friends and family members with knowledge so that none of them continue to suffer in vain.