I have fibroids that give me a lot of pain during menstration. The good thing is that I do not bleed a lot, I have a very low blood flow. I went to an acupuncturist twice. The first time she put three needles in my stomache, the second time she put close to ten. This month my period was very odd. I had only spotting for one day (brown powdery blood) and very bad pain in my lower belly (before I had it on my back area), I am very worried, that the blood flow has been rerouted incorrectly. I am 31 years old and have never had children and I am not pregnant. Any ideas?? TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE AND A WOMAN'S PERIOD
The Human body is programmed from conception to be a self-healing living organism. If you cut yourself, your cut heals. It may heal quickly or slowly depending upon your immune status, but it will heal. Western Science Medicine cannot heal you; it only tries to assist your body in healing itself. It isn't very successful when dealing with patients that are very weak; bed sores (decubitis ulcers) is one type of wound that defeats the arsenal of modern medicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine is more successful because we first strengthen the patient's immune system making it possible for the body to do what it does best, i.e. heal. Traditional Chinese Medicine also believes that a normal healthy body should function as it is designed to do. This is especially true for women. The female body is programmed to undergo monthly cycles of hormonal fluctuations to prepare for fertilization of her egg and the support of a healthy pregnancy. Women should not experience mood swings, bloating, constipation, cramping, irregular menstrual cycles, abnormal bleeding or infertility. American women appear to be especially prone to abnormal menstrual cycles and what has been coined Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). A healthy woman should not experience the pain and discomfort associated with the monthly cycle that currently is the norm with most American women. As late as the 1960's Western Science Medicine agreed. However, their answer was that any woman who experienced cramping and pain with her cycle had mental problems. It wasn't until more and more female MDs started experiencing these problems that it became more accepted that sane, normal women could have some sort of malfunction in her reproductive system resulting in abnormal cycles, abnormal bleeding, pain and cramping, PMS, etc. But why did these problems begin? Most women accept PMS each month, cramping, heavy bleeding, etc. There are a variety of Western pharmaceuticals and Western Herbal products directly geared toward female menstrual problems. But none of these address the reason why these problems are suddenly so prevalent. The treatments offered by Western Science and even Western Herbs only seek to mask the symptoms of menstrual abnormalities. So each period presents with the same (or worsening) symptoms. The woman who suffers each month must live on pain killers, period regulators, seek surgery or wait for menopause. But even then, she will most likely be hit with even worse symptoms as menopause approaches. Most women will start with drugs or herbs to try to control the pain and other symptoms. Generally as the symptoms worsen, women will return to their GYN so often that eventually, the GYN will suggest a laparoscopic examination, maybe a D & C, maybe a hysterectomy, all because a normal process that should proceed with little or no difficulty, turns into a nightmare. Why should American women suffer so? Do all the women of the world suffer the same? Have women throughout history suffered with these symptoms? I don't believe so. I think that our American lifestyle has contributed to the problems that women face each month.
To understand how a normal process can go so wrong, we must first understand how a normal menstrual cycle should occur.
Western Medical Science tells us that the menstrual cycle starts with changes in levels of the female hormones. These hormones stimulate production of a woman's egg and the hormone Estrogen. Estrogen produces changes in the lining of the uterus and breast as well as stimulating maturation of the egg. After ovulation (release of the mature egg), a different hormone now is produced, Progesterone. Progesterone and Estrogens work on the uterus to prepare a suitable lining for a fertilized egg as well as working on the breast to build tissue necessary for production of milk. If no implantation of a fertilized egg occurs, the progesterone and estrogen production stops and uterine lining is sloughed off producing menses (period). The cycle can then start all over again. This cycle will continue until around age 50. When the hormone levels can't be maintained, the period stops. In Chinese Medical Theory, the egg has nothing to do with the period. The period comes from Breast Milk. White Milk is produced in the breasts. The milk travels down the Chong Meridian to the Uterus. As the white milk passes down the abdomen, the heat from the Small Intestine turns the white milk red. Good milk production is essential for healthy periods, as is having a Small Intestine that produces a normal temperature. A woman should feel the tenderness and fullness in her breasts prior to her menses starting. This is healthy. If blockage in the Chong meridian occurs Milk cannot travel downward to the uterus. If the Small Intestine is too hot or too cold, conversion to menses will not be normal. If the Breast Milk can not travel on the normal pathway, milk will go elsewhere. If the Milk enters the Heart, Lupus occurs; if Milk enters the Blood, leukemia; if Milk enters the Lungs, lung cancer; if Milk stays in the Breast, Breast cancer. Keeping a healthy flow of Breast Milk and functioning Small Intestine is vital for a woman's health, not just for normal periods.
American women are not taught proper diet or exercise. Our grandmothers and great grandmothers understood the importance of taking care of themselves during their menses. Modern women ignore these strictures as old fashioned or sexist. During the menses, a woman should not drink cold drinks, swim or bathe (showers are okay). Energy should be conserved. Hot teas and moderate exercise are important. The most dangerous time for a woman to contract the flu is during her period. The virus will go deep as the Breast Milk travels inward and downward. The flu virus will stay in the woman for decades and each time she has her period the flu will be reactivated. This is why so many women feel lousy while menstruating. For information regarding specific complaints unique to women, please go the appropriate site.http://www.susanhathawaytcm.net/id10.htm
I have used acupunture for many of these things you talk about, for more on it ck out this link , with an acupuncture
finder at the bottom just put in your zip for one near you.
http://www.peaceful-organic-planet.com/a... Well, generally, fibroids are hormonal. My mother had a fibroid tumor in her uterus (the gyno thought she was three months pregnant - thus the discovery of said tumor - my mom is gay and hasn't been with a man in 22 years, so imagine her shock!). Anyway, my mom went to an endocrinologist and he put her on a series of vitamins and hormone supplements. Shrank the fibroid right outta there. They wanted to give her a hysterectomy and she was just as shocked by that as by them telling her she was pregnant, lol.
I say keep seeing the accupuncturist, but you should also consider seeing an endocrinologist. |
