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Women know all too well the pain and cramping that can accompany their monthly periods. In some, it can be a minor annoyance, but in others it can be debilitating and extremely painful. OTC pain relievers may not help the pain many women feel monthly. Good news is, they can now turn to acupuncture with confidence. New research out of Australia and New Zealand shows acupuncture can significantly reduce the intensity, duration and symptoms of period pain over time. In fact, improvements can be experienced for up to one year post-treatment.
Also known scientifically as primary dysmenorrhea, this is the most common gynecological complaint for women who are of menstruating age. The statistics show that 4 out of 5 women have some pain during their reproductive years.
The study comprised 74 women ages 18 to 45. More than half the women who received acupuncture experienced at minimum a 50% reduction in the severity of their period pain over three months’ time.
Findings
The study was published in the international journal PLOS ONE. It detected a link between the treatment timing and frequency, with higher treatment frequency getting better results in terms of quality of life. They also found that they didn’t have to use as much pain relief medication when manual acupuncture was involved, as compared with electro-acupuncture.
Women involved in the study were told to write in a menstrual diary about the results they felt after acupuncture treatments. They were randomly assigned to one of four groups. The study involved a total of 12 treatments over the course of three menstrual cycles, with all groups getting treatment in the first 48 hours of having their period.
Dr. Mike Armour of the National Institute of Complementary Medicine (NICM) in Australia says this study is critical in developing guidelines for acupuncture in the treatment of period pain. Not only was a reduction in pain intensity experienced, there was also a clear improvement of life quality for the women. Secondary symptoms that are often associated with periods, such as headaches and nausea, also showed improvement.
Contact Metro Detroit Acupuncture
Call Metro Detroit Acupuncture today at 248-432-2846 to learn more about how acupuncture can relieve your period pain. Marino Moutafis, the founder and owner of Metro Detroit Acupuncture in Southeast Michigan, is a nationally certified acupuncturist and licensed by the Michigan Board of Acupuncture. We are happy to accommodate our Metro Detroit patients.