Dysmenorrhea: What is it ?

Dysmenorrhea is a set of symptoms associated with menstruation, also known as menstrual cramps, that affects to a various extent, the majority of women of childbearing age.

It is an extremely common condition which occurs in between 50% and 95% of women of reproductive age, who experience pain during the mentruation. It is responsible for absence from work, and the main cause of absence from school among adolescents.

Common symptoms of dysmenorrhea are pain or cramps in the lower abdomen or lower back, chest pain, diarrhea, frequent urination, nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, fainting, fatigue, emotional disorders, etc.

The pain usually occurs in the lower abdomen, but  also in the back, and sometimes reflected in the legs.

Dysmenorrhea: Types 

There are two types of Dysmenorrhea, Primary and Secondary.

Primary is due to normal uterine spasms and tends to improve over time, or after pregnancy.  Secondary Dysmenorrhea is defined as one that is not due to natural causes, but has a pathological background. It is usually caused by Endometriosis, Uterine Fibroids, Adenomyosis, Endometrium Thread, Pelvic Inflammation, and occurs later in a woman’s life in relation to Primary Dysmenorrhea. The duration of the pain is longer than the usual cramps, as is, its intensity.

Dysmenorrhea: How Medical Acupuncture Treats Dysmenorrhea?

Menstrual Pain that occurs before, during, or after the monthly Period, is due to the presence of pathogens, according to Chinese Medicine which deals with menstrual pain for thousands of years; its oldest written relative text, dates back to 200 AD.

Chinese Medicine considers that the possible causes are:

a) insufficient energy of the liver  

b) insufficient energy of the blood too, and

c) penetration of moisture/cold energy into the genital system.

Only after the timely and accurate diagnosis of the clinical picture of the woman, it is possible to treat this syndrome, which Chinese Medicine treats adequately, and with lasting results, since the treatment refers not only to the symptoms like Classical Medicine (in which, whatever treatment the woman receives, it is necessary to repeat it every month).

Dysmenorrhea: Medical Acupuncture and Herbal Therapy

Medical Acupuncture and especially in combination with Chinese Herbal Therapy can be considered an excellent therapeutic tool for all women, suffering from severe menstrual cramps. Women who seek support of complementary therapy, or who simply prefer to avoid the significant risks associated with prolonged medication.

The specialized Physicians/Acupuncturists of our Institute, for a number of years, treat with great success the above two conditions. The treatment begins with a careful analysis and evaluation of both the laboratory and the clinical picture of the patient.