Patient’s perspective: “My experience using acupuncture to for menstrual cramps.”
I had never experienced menstrual cramps in my life until I got off my birth control pills for the first time at age 33 [since I started taking them as an 18-year old]. Being very physical active and athletic, whenever I’ve had periods they have been on the lighter and shorter side too.
I figured since I never got menstrual cramps prior to going on the pill that I wouldn’t get them after I got off the pill. My mother and sister never get menstrual cramps either so I thought it was also hereditary.
But with everyone becoming increasingly paranoid about the coronavirus/covid-19 pandemic in February, I thought something might be wrong with me too when I felt a sharp pain at the pit of my stomach, only to realize that it was just menstrual cramps when I got home and saw the bleeding in the toilet bowl.
Shortly after my coronavirus false alarm incident, I started getting acupuncture treatments from Dr. Truong for treating facial acne. The very first the needle that was inserted on my forehead did not hurt at all while the ones that were inserted along my lower legs and feet felt quite intense in comparison. From my experience as a certified prenatal/perinatal massage therapist I knew of some of the points along the leg and feet being stimulating points for labor. And I knew that the hormonal adjustments my body was making from going off the pills 6 months prior were related to both the menstrual cramps and the acne so this wasn’t too surprising.
The intensity of the sensation of the needles inserted in the lower legs and feet decreased over time as I kept going back for more treatments. Three months later, my periods have scaled back to being lighter and shorter again with little to no menstrual cramps. For me, that combined with the decrease in the facial acne makes for a double celebration --- because we all need something to be joyful about more than ever during these times.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3140031/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5999465/