Usually, the first time a woman experiences dysmenorrhea is the time when she has her first menstruation, which normally is around the age of 12. Forty percent of dysmenorrhea patients suffer from severe cramping, around 50% of them experience mild stomach aches, and the rest of the 10 percent may experience endometriosis, uterine scar tissue, tumors, and even cancer.
Dysmenorrhea can cause irritating symptoms and extreme discomfort but it is not really a serious problem for women. The symptoms are suspected to be caused by menstrual hormone irregularities that result in the blockage of blood in the pelvic walls, ovary, and uterus.
People suffering from menstrual pain experience the pain in the lower stomach that in some cases can travel in the back area. The onset of the dysmenorrhea is usually two days before menses and continues throughout the menstruation period prior to its gradual lessening at the end of the cycle. Dysmenorrhea sufferers often experience symptoms such as vomiting, queasiness, dizziness, and headaches. Each woman may feel the pain in different degrees although the pain can be so unbearable it can cause the sufferer to miss work or school.
Ingesting painkillers and warming the lower stomach can bring relief from the pain. In extreme cases, doctors may recommend hormonal contraceptives. When using contraceptives, patients should expect side effects and once these medications wear off, the pain comes back.
Acupuncture is one of the most recommended alternative modes of treatment for dysmenorrhea. This is because this Oriental healing art is effective in balancing and correcting hormones. Besides that, it aids in the relaxation of the ovary and pelvic wall muscles, resolves the blockage of blood, and boosts the flow of blood around the pelvis.
During an acupuncture procedure, the acupuncturist sticks filamentous needles into specific points on the patient’s skin for half an hour to activate the nervous system. These points are usually located on the lower stomach, legs, and arms. The acupuncturist usually will see the patient a couple of weeks before the start of menses. Acupuncture is done two times a week to either relieve pain or prevent dysmenorrhea. The degree of the pain will determine the frequency of the treatments and the number of needles that are required to resolve the condition. For not so severe cases, a few appointments are enough; for really severe dysmenorrhea symptoms, a laparascopy or hormne adjusters may be needed by the patient.
It is important that the patient get enough sleep and eat moderately before the start of acupuncture treatment. Tenderness may be experienced during the procedure on the body part where the needle is being applied and while the needles are still inserted. The needles generate mild electrical currents that can be felt travelling to the meridians, when the practitioner inserts needles into an acupoint where a nerve is located nearby. The half an hour time in which the needles are left in the skin is needed to achieve the best results. During the treatment, the patient will be advised to flex her muscles where the needles have been inserted because these needles might get caught in the muscles. Not doing so it may lead to some bleeding and pain when the needles are removed. Afterwards, the patient is advised to relax her muscles, and slightly move her body. Any breathing difficulty, chest ache, wooziness, or dizziness experienced should be immediately reported by the patient to her acupuncturist.
The patient needs to avoid taking a bath for the rest of the day, or at least a couple of hours after the treatment or drink warm water until the next day.
Contraindicated for acupuncture for dysmenorrhea treatment in Overland Park are patients suffering from blood clotting issues or blood disease, those with cancer that has not still been treated, and pregnant women.