| The Life Cycle of a Woman and What Acupuncture Can Offer |
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| Prime Woman Magazine | |
| Written by Christine Taliercio | |
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What is acupuncture and how does it work? Acupuncture is a method of encouraging the body to promote natural healing and improve function. This is done by inserting a disposable stainless steel needle, as fine as a human hair, into specific points located near or on the surface of the skin, which has the ability to alter both biochemical and physiological conditions in order to treat a myriad of illnesses.
According to the principles of Chinese medicine, a person’s health is determined by having a balance flow of Qi, the vital life energy circulating throughout the body. Will Chinese Medicine get rid of my PMS symptoms? Many gynecological conditions respond very successfully to acupuncture. Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, is actually a plethora of symptoms before a period. Symptoms may be emotional like depression irritability, anxiety, sadness, or poor concentration. PMS may also be physical in its presentation such as breast tenderness, change of bowel habits, loss of libido and acne. To worsen the scenario the symptoms can vary widely in severity and can change from one month to the next. What we have found in Chinese Medicine is that PMS arises from a stagnation of liver energy. In Chinese Medicine, we are not speaking of your organ, but rather the system that is responsible for the smooth flow of substance such as energy or blood within the body. You can become imbalanced from too much physical work, emotional trauma, poor diet, a weak I (energy), or stress. These imbalances cause a blockage of Qi and blood and when they become blocked, they stagnate and are unable to nourish the body. This stagnation often manifest in women as PMS. The acupuncturist will work with you to unblock your Qi (energy) flow. What is Infertility and can acupuncture and Chinese Medicine help you to conceive? Infertility is a medical term a couple will receive if they have been sexually active for 12 months without any contraception but have not been able to conceive. This is an area where there has been lots of research confirming the benefits of acupuncture in these following areas: • Regulate menstrual cycle In a study published in Human Reproduction Journal, an ultrasound was used to evaluate blood flow to the uterus during acupuncture treatments. The study found blood flow increased during treatment. According to Dr. Nancy Snyderman, when acupuncture needles are placed correctly, it can affect the nervous system. The idea is that if you stimulate the nervous system, you can make the uterus quiet and allow blood to flow. Relaxing the uterus and increasing blood flow1 allows for the successful implant of an embryo within the uterine lining. [1] Human Reproduction Journal, Volume 11, #6, 1996 What is PCOS and can Chinese Medicine alleviate symptoms? Women diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, (PCOS) which is a disorder of ovulation, often have difficulty with getting pregnant. The main indication of PCOS is irregular or absent periods. Other sign and symptoms include obesity, acne, excessive facial and body hair, thinning of hair on the head and a sugar metabolism disturbance.
Can acupuncture benefit male fertility? Men can also benefit from acupuncture in that it can improve the concentration, volume, and motility of sperm. Within the theory of Chinese Medicine, male infertility is often associated with the dysfunction within the kidney meridian (not the kidney organ) and the spleen meridian (again, not the spleen organ). In addition to acupuncture and life style changes, your acupuncturist can advise you of specific supplements such as L-Carnitine (found in very high levels in sperm) and L-Arginine. Both have been associated with enhancing sperm production. What is menopause and how can Chinese Medicine relieve some of its symptoms? Menopause is a transition period marking the cessation of ovulation in a woman’s body. This period of transition can last a few months to several years. Symptoms vary widely and may be mild to severe as our bodies battle to adapt to decreasing amounts of estrogen. Symptoms can include hot flashes, hot or day sweats, insomnia, fatigue, headaches, mood swings, joint pain, weight gain, vaginal dryness and reduced sexual desire. According to Chinese Medical theory, menopause occurs because of an imbalance of Yin and Yang energies. The Yin can be thought of as the cooling system of the body. When the slowing of the flow of yin occurs, heat systems arise such as night sweats, hot flashes, mood swings, heart palpitations and insomnia. When the Yang energy declines, the Yang represents the warming and the metabolizing of function occurs, symptoms such as water retention, cold hands and feet, weight gain, and hypertension occur. If left alone, this imbalance of Yin and Yang leads to symptoms that we associate with menopause. On the subject of a lagging libido, Chinese Medicine considers a low libido as an imbalance of Qi energy within our organ system, especially the kidney and heart system. Once the cause of the problems is uncovered, specific points are stimulated to alter various biochemical and physiological conditions in order to strengthen the mind and body to bring you back to prime sexual health. There are also many herbal extracts such as gingseng and horny goat weed that when combined synergistically can awaken and enhance female sexual pleasure as well as to increase orgasmic strength. Final Thoughts at Any Stage Natural therapies such as acupuncture, herbs, meditation and diet can all be used to correct these imbalances. One of the most appealing qualities of acupuncture is that it is completely natural and drug free, thereby providing a safe and effective solution that carries a low risk of adverse reactions and side effects. The acupuncturist does not treat just the signs and symptoms but rather prods the body’s natural healing potential by treating the root causes that may have led to the problem or disease. Acupuncture balances your overall health and well being so that other treatments are more effective. The practice of acupuncture is over 5,000 years old and it has helped millions of people. Acupuncture is seen as the new “Energy Medicine”, as stated by Dr. Oz on the Oprah Show. In modern times, research has confirmed its benefits in the following areas: • Regulate menstrual cycle [2] Human Reproduction Journal, Volume 11, #6, 1996
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In traditional Chinese medicine, we view a person as an energy system in which body and mind are unified, each influencing and balancing the other. Unlike Western medicine that attempts to isolate and diagnose a disease from a person, Chinese medicine emphasizes a holistic approach and treats the whole person. 
From a Chinese medical perspective, PCOS is looked at like dampness or phlegm in the body. You may have some or all of the symptoms listed above as well as fibrocystic breast, feeling tired and sluggish following a meal, in particular a carbohydrate rich meal and someone who may be prone to yeast infections. In addition to acupuncture, your acupuncturist can suggest an insulin-managing diet and supplements. This is an area where there has been research which shows that women with PCOS who received electro-acupuncture restored ovulation in 1/3 of the test subjects. 
