Despite existing for years, acupuncture has recently gained popularity for its various health and wellness purposes. The great thing about acupuncture is it’s a noninvasive holistic treatment that uses thin needles on various acupoints in your body to balance your energy flow.
This ancient Chinese Medicine believes that your energy flows through different pathways in your body. So, if one of those paths gets blocked, that’s when you feel pain or develop an illness.
Although everyone can benefit from acupuncture, the treatment can address several physical and mental issues for women. If you want to find out what they are, read more below.
1. Pain Management
The primary thing acupuncture is known for is its ability to manage pain. It stimulates your central nervous system and increases the production of endorphins, your body’s natural pain-killing hormones. As a result, it can relieve pain from various symptoms of chronic and acute diseases, such as:
- Arthritis
- Sciatica
- Fibromyalgia
- Tennis elbow
- Neck pain
- Back pain
- Tendonitis
- Stiff neck
- Muscle sprains and strains
- Migraines and headaches
Additionally, a study shows that acupuncture can be effective in reducing the duration and intensity of menstrual pain compared to not receiving treatments or taking Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs). You can also prolong its efficacy by maintaining short-term follow-up treatments.
2. Stress Reduction
If the daily hassles of life have caused your stress level to rise, consider incorporating acupuncture into your self-care ritual. Consistent treatments can reduce your cortisol levels, hormones associated with stress and release endorphins, your “feel-good” hormones. So you’ll feel lighter and rejuvenated after your acupuncture sessions.
In addition, acupuncture targets specific points that help relax your mind and body, reduce fatigue, enhance sleep, and increase energy levels so that you can cope with stress better in the long run.
3. Digestive Health
If you’re suffering from digestive issues, acupuncture can help balance your digestive system. It does this by enhancing the blood flow to your digestive organs. Thus, improving digestion and alleviating symptoms like bloating, gas, indigestion, and constipation.
One study reveals that acupuncture is more effective than polyethylene glycol (PEG) 4000 and pinaverium bromide for treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) after 18 sessions of acupuncture sessions and 12 weeks of follow-up sessions. Results revealed that the effects of acupuncture can also last up to 12 weeks after treatment.
Another study shows that acupuncture can increase anti-inflammatory bacteria, enhancing your intestinal barrier against inflammation.
4. Emotional Wellness
You don’t have to necessarily be suffering from physical symptoms to get acupuncture treatments since it’s also effective for your emotional and mental health. Acupuncture regulates your neurotransmitters, increasing the production of endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine, hormones that play vital roles in regulating your mood.
An older clinical systematic review studied the effects of acupuncture in women with anxiety and depression. Results showed that there is high-level evidence that consistent treatments can be effective for treating major depressive disorder in pregnancy.
While acupuncture isn’t recommended to replace actual medical treatments, you can use it as a complementary alternative treatment. It’s considered safer than taking antidepressants because, when performed by a licensed practitioner, acupuncture shouldn’t have any side effects.
5. Hormonal Balance
Another reason for how women can benefit from acupuncture is it can restore the balance of your hormones. It does this by regulating your endocrine system and influencing the release and activity of your hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and thyroid hormones.
Acupuncture also affects your hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a neuroendocrine system that regulates hormone production and stress response. Regular treatments modulate the activity of this axis, restoring the balance of your hormone levels and improving your overall hormone function.
As a result, acupuncture can minimize disorders related to hormonal imbalance, like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), hyperthyroidism, and endometriosis.
6. Fertility
If you want to boost your chances of getting pregnant, you must try acupuncture for fertility. It improves the blood flow to your reproductive organs, promoting follicle development and improving uterine lining quality. Enhancing your blood flow also supports the delivery of hormones and nutrients to your reproductive organs, essential for optimal fertility.
Additionally, acupuncture can regulate your menstrual cycle by balancing your hormone levels and promoting regular ovulation. You can also use acupuncture as a complementary treatment for increasing the success rate of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI) treatments.
Ready to try acupuncture?
If you’re ready to experience the benefits of acupuncture, book your treatments at Integrative Healing Arts. They offer several acupuncture treatments that cater to different health goals, such as stress management, anti-aging, and sports injuries. Their signature Fertility Program combines the advantages of acupuncture, herbal medicine, and energy healing to improve fertility from pre-conception, pregnancy, and after birth. If you have questions or inquiries, you can visit their website for more information.
