Los Angeles Acupuncture and Wellness is located in Santa Monica, California, easily accessible to West Los Angeles, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Marina del Rey, Playa del Rey, Brentwood, Beverly Hills, Venice, Westwood, West Hollywood, Hollywood, Century City, Bel Air, Hancock Park and Topanga. What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is an important part of a Traditional Chinese Medicine system with a history of over 2500 years. Already used widely throughout Asia and Europe,
Acupuncture is considered one of the newest primary health care modalities in the US. Acupuncture can strengthen the physical body, prevent disease, control pain, calm the mind, enhance health, assist in sports performance, addiction withdrawal, and achieve longevity.
Stop Painful Menstrual Cramps with
Chinese Herbs
Are you
curled up in bed for a day or more each month with one thought:
“What am I going to do about these period cramps?” You are not
alone, as 50% of menstruating women have the same experience month
after month. But why suffer when you could be living pain free?
NSAIDs (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs*) only mask the pain
for a few short hours. Chinese herbal medicine, on the other hand,
has been used for centuries with well-documented results.
An international nonprofit organization, known as the Cochrane
Collaboration, studied the effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicine
in relieving menstrual pain compared to western drugs. Their
conclusion: “Chinese herbal medicine for primary dysmenorrhea
roughly doubled pain relief and improvement in overall symptoms
compared with conventional Western pharmaceuticals,” reported
Xiaoshu Zhu. (1)
Here are a few common Chinese herbs
used for painful menstrual cramps:
1. Dong Gui (Chinese Angelica or
Angelica Sinensis)
Also known as the "female ginseng," it is commonly used to regulate
the menstrual cycle and relieve menstrual cramps. It also helps to
relieve menopausal symptoms, reduce PMS and anemia and to
re-establish a menstrual cycle after cessation of birth control
pills. It is commonly sold as a single herb tea, bagged or loose.
It is considered a king herb or premier herb in Chinese
gynecological disease because of its ability to harmonize the blood
in Chinese medicine. Dong Gui is also considered antispasmodic.
The coumarin chemicals present in this herb may help dilate blood
vessels and relax the smooth muscles of the uterus, thus relieving
menstrual cramping.
2. Chuan Xiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma)
This herb is also a key medicinal herb for treating pain. It
improves blood circulation and promotes the flow of "qi" or vital
energy. Chinese women, dating back to the Song Dynasty, used to
take this Chinese herb in the form of soup. The soup is called a
Four Substance Decoction and includes three other herbs: angelica,
red peony and Chinese foxglove. The soup and tea are still used
today as a blood tonic to relieve PMS, stop menstrual pain and
improve overall health, especially after giving birth.
3. Bai Shao (White Peony Root)
White Peony Root nourishes the blood and improves circulation. It
is also used for a wide variety of gynecological problems. The
peony root is considered a liver tonic in Chinese medicine. By
strengthening the liver, it helps to increase the efficiency of
protein and fat metabolism, thus inhibiting the excessive synthesis
of prostaglandins that may cause an over-active uterus and
endometrial pain.
4. Yi Mu Cao (Chinese Motherwort)
Leaves from this herb are used to treat menstrual problems. They
have been shown to improve blood circulation and clear blood clots
that occur in menstrual disorders and after childbirth. The leaves
also promote diuresis and relieve edema. Studies on the alkaloid
leonurine showed that this substance stimulates the uterus of
rabbits, cats, dogs and guinea pigs. (2)
5. Yan Hu Suo (Corydalis Rhizome)
There are two main functions of this Chinese herb: to strengthen
blood circulation and to relieve pain. In conjunction with chuan
xiong it is known to help both body aches and headaches. Corydalis
is related to the opium poppy. Although only 1% in strength
compared to opium, it is a very effective pain reliever. The active
chemical constituent di- tetrahydropalmatine (THP) is a neuroactive
alkaloid with analgesic action that relieves cramping pain.
Groups of Chinese herbs, also known as formulas, are more beneficial
than single herb remedies because the herbs work synergistically for
conditions such as menstrual cramps. The Cochran study also stated
that: “The herbal remedies were also significantly better at
relieving painful cramps and other symptoms than acupuncture or a
hot water bottle, with overall promising findings… Chinese herbs
overall, whether standardized or tailored, yielded better pain
relief than conventional pharmaceutical therapies.”
Chinese herbal medicine can be a bit intimidating when you don’t
know anything about these herbs, and the five herbs above are only a
few of the herbs beneficial for menstrual cramps in the Chinese
herbal encyclopedias. Asian pharmacies sell prescriptions of herbal
teas and pills daily, and Asian cultures have used herbs
successfully for hundreds of years. By replacing NSAIDs with
Chinese herbs, women receive an additional benefit of avoiding the
nasty NSAIDs side effects such as upset stomach, heartburn, ulcers
and rashes, and liver damage, to name a few. Women don’t need to
suffer month after month. You can use Chinese herb supplements to
be pain free and PMS symptom free all month long.
Primary source: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Source; Zhu X, et al "Chinese herbal medicine for primary
dysmenorrhoea" Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007;3:
CD005288.
1. Chinese Medicine Program at the University of Western Sydney.1
(fourth issue for 2007 of The Cochrane Library).
2. Yin, J. Modern Research and Clinical Application of Chinese
Materia Medica (2) pp 218-219 Beijing: Chinese Medical Classic
Press.
* NSAID are Non-Sterodial Anti-Inflammatory Drugs. Generics and
name brands include: ibuprofen, Advil, Motrin, naproxen sodium,
Aleve, aspirin, Bayer, Bufferin, acetaminophen, and Tylenol.
By: Cathy Margolin, L.Ac., Dipl.OM (NCCAOM)
Acupuncture, Fertility Research Delivers Healthy Results
ABC.COM: Could Acupuncture Help Promote Pregnancy?
Study: Influence of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy. Other articles
Acupressure Outperforms PT for Low Back Pain
Winter and
Chinese Medicine
Acupuncture
and Mental Health |
Available treatments include: Women's / Reproductive Health Natural Fertility enhancement treatment IVF adjunct therapy
Our fertility solutions treatment provides an overall 70% success rate in achieving pregnancy. Acupressure childbirth (for birth coaches) Postpartum Recovery Peri / Post Menopause General treatments Weight Loss and Appetite control Lifestyle and transition Energy improvement Smoking / Substance Cessation Multiple Sclerosis Nutritional Counseling Herbal Medicine Stress Management and related issues Migraine headache relief
TMJ relief (Temporomandibular joint disorder)
Mood Stabilization: calm anxiety, depression Pain, Discomfort & Other issues Chronic pain: (Neck, back, headaches, etc.) Sciatica Digestive disorders: (IBS, Reflux, etc.) Vertigo and visual disturbances Sleep disorders
Sports Medicine - Injury
treatment
Los
Angeles Acupuncture |
.gif)
