Women's Care

     Every woman deserves to thrive. That means handling stress, getting good women's health care, and nurturing yourself. Our clinic specializes in women’s health and offers time-tested as well as modern ways to improve and maintain women’s well-being.

PMS-related problems/menstrual irregularities.

     Mood swings, tender breasts, a swollen abdomen, food cravings, fatigue, irritability and depression. If you experience some or all of these problems in the days before your monthly period, you may have premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
     An estimated three of every four menstruating women experience some form of premenstrual syndrome. These problems are more likely to trouble women between their late 20s and early 40s, and they tend to recur in a predictable pattern. Yet the physical and emotional changes you experience with premenstrual syndrome may be more or less intense with each menstrual cycle.
     For many women the signs and symptoms of premenstrual syndrome are an uncomfortable and unwelcome part of their monthly menstrual cycle. The most common physical and emotional signs and symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome include:

  •  Weight gain from fluid retention
  •  Abdominal bloating
  •  Breast tenderness
  •  Tension or anxiety
  •  Depressed mood
  •  Crying spells
  •  Mood swings and irritability or anger
  •  Appetite changes and food cravings
  •  Insomnia
  •  Joint or muscle pain
  •  Headaches
  •  Fatigue

     In 2-5 % of women with PMS, symptoms are so severe that they are considered disabling and this condition is named Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD).
     Many women think that they just have to “live with it” when it comes to the problems with their menstrual cycle. But nothing could be further from the truth. A woman does not have to have painful periods, endure heavy bleeding, emotional disturbances or any other problem related to her menstrual cycle.
     In 1997, the National Institute of Health (NIH) issued a consensus report that suggested acupuncture is effective in the treatment of menstrual cramps, and other symptoms associated with PMS.
     Acupuncture is extremely effective at regulating a woman’s cycle. Regular acupuncture and herbal treatment is helpful in balancing female hormonal function and the autonomic nervous system, and is effective for the long-term management of PMS, dys- or amenorrhea, excessive menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia) and metrorrhagia (bleeding in between periods), endometriosis, uterine fibroids or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

 

Acupuncture and Menopause.

     Menopause signifies “a change” within a woman’s life. This is a natural, physiological cycle that occurs in all women and it happens because a woman’s body chemistry is shifting. It is not a disease. Menopause is a transition. Menopause symptoms result from unbalanced hormones during this transition.
     Lately there has been increased reports of dangers and inefficiency of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) in an around menopause. Recent reports state that a large Federal study of HRT in post-menopausal women was abruptly halted because of an increased risk of invasive breast cancer. Uterine cancer has been an acknowledged risk for years. The previously touted reasons for taking HRT, i.e., an overall improvement in women's health that would include reduced risk of heart disease, prevention of osteoporosis and Alzheimer's disease, have all recently been called into question. Indeed, studies have shown that while there is no decrease in heart attacks, there is an increased risk of thromboembolism (blood clots and strokes). There is also an increased risk (48% higher than the general population) of gallbladder disease requiring surgery.
     While menopause sometimes is viewed as a disease in Western Medicine, this transitional time for women is viewed very differently in TCM. When a woman is finished with her child bearing years, to conserve the woman's Qi (life force energy), the body shuts down the monthly preparation of the uterus and the subsequent shedding of blood when a pregnancy does not ensue, thus allowing the woman to retain all of her resources for herself as she ages. This transition should be relatively uneventful - and in the East, be it because of diet or lifestyle, it often is.
     Instead of simply trying to replace estrogen and prevent a natural process from happening, Oriental Medicine offers women a way to allow this transition happen smoothly and to bring about a new balance to hormonal levels in a next period of women’s lives.
     Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine offer a safe, natural and effective way to address menopause. Treatment supports women’s body, providing physical and emotional health, and allows living longer and happier.