Menstrual pain was reported by 84.1% of women, with 43.1% reporting that pain occurred during every period, and 41% reporting that pain occurred during some periods.
Nearly 1 in 7 Americans experience bloating on a weekly basis and most aren’t seeking professional care for it.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), food allergies in children have risen by 50% since the 1990s.
These stats all have one thing in common.
Besides the fact that they’re all on the rise, these are conditions that are often deemed “common” and “not a big deal” by conventional medicine.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), however, these are red flags.
The way TCM understands the body is that nothing is really happening in isolation, meaning, for example, your painful PMS symptoms aren’t just PMS symptoms. Or won’t be for long, if they go untreated.
I see painful periods as one of the first signals the body sends out when it’s imbalanced.
What’s happening here from the TCM perspective is…
When there is impaired blood flow, or a presence of cold or stasis in the meridians, we see pain- pain during menstruation and significant cramping and bloating at ovulation. When trying to conceive or keep hormones balanced, we need proper oxygenated blood flow throughout the body.
Acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, moxibustion, Celluma LED therapy, cupping, and gua sha are treatment modalities we employ at The Nest to address imbalances in the body before symptoms become worse or develop into a more serious health problem.
Treatment is focused on improving blood flow, removing stasis to regain proper circulation, and resolve painful and unwanted symptoms, while restoring balance within the body.
A lot of people don’t realize that Traditional Chinese medicine can be effective in treating many different types of health conditions- especially conditions where western pharmaceutical medications fail. Some examples include:
Infertility
IUI/IVF support
Absence of having a period (amenorrhea)
Erratic or no ovulation (anovulation)
Painful periods (dysmenorrhea)
Chronic bloating
Endometriosis
PCOS
Pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting (morning sickness)
Perimenopause/menopause symptoms
Hair loss
IBS and other digestive issues
Food + seasonal allergies
Skin conditions like eczema, acne, dermatitis, etc.
Asthma
Autoimmune conditions, like thyroid disorders or arthritis
Just to name a few! These conditions, or symptoms, are often hard to treat or expensive with Western Medicine, yet this is where natural medicine excels.
You do not have to give up! If you feel like your condition isn’t “severe” enough or you weren’t taken seriously by a provider, I urge you to continue to advocate for yourself.
You deserve to live in a body that feels good and know that you have the ability to heal! Book an appointment at The Nest in Chicago to receive support from fertility specialists.