Women’s Health

Being a woman often means having hormonal issues; acupuncture can help you navigate some of these challenges with greater ease, including menstrual and gynecological problems, infertility, pregnancy and menopause.

Physical and psychological discomfort (or even pain) too often imposed by menstruation, infertility, pregnancy and menopause deserves to be alleviated as well as possible. My mission is to relieve your pain in a natural way, which is what acupuncture offers: an effective technique recognized for its soothing and hormonal balancing potential.

For more than 14 years, I have been cumulating experience, training and readings on the subject, which I am very passionate about. It allows me to accompany you during these different stages of life, either alone or in combination with Western medicine. Acupuncture is a precious ally for women who cannot benefit from hormone replacement therapy or medically assisted procreation (IVF, embryo transfer, insemination, etc.).

Tell me your story, and I will tell you how acupuncture can help you. I also offer complimentary 15-minute phone Q&As.

Menstruation

Is your period ruining your life? Does pain incapacitate you for days? ? You never know what to expect from one cycle to the next? Do you worry about your flow? Are your thin-skinned? Here are some problems a majority of women face every month:

  • Menstrual pain (dysmenorrhea)
  • Irregular cycle
  • Absence of menstruation (amenorrhea)
  • Spotting
  • PMS
  • Vaginitis
  • Fibromyoma and heavy menstrual bleeding
  • Painful functional cyst
  • Endometriosis

Acupuncture can regulate your periods and emotions and alleviate your pain.

Think about what your life could be with just 50% less symptoms. With good advice and follow-up treatments over three cycles (ideally), it could get even better!

Inexplicable or diagnosed infertility

In addition to targeting the menstrual cycle and its imbalances, I can also perform a thorough analysis of your symptoms and diathesis in order to find out what might be hindering your chances at pregnancy, such as:

  • Too long or too short follicular phase
  • Poor egg quality
  • Too short luteal phase
  • Blockage or mucus in the tubes
  • Lack of cervical mucus
  • Pelvic inflammation
  • Emotional stress
  • Repeated miscarriages
  • Hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis imbalance

Several of these conditions can be detected by simply observing the patient, the signs and symptoms of her menstrual cycle and, even better, her basal body temperature curve. Medical diagnosis and fertility tests are also taken into account.

Acupuncture has been proven to positively influence these imbalances and increase your chances at pregnancy whether it be natural or in conjunction with medically assisted procreation.

I will tackle fertility and IVF in depth in a future article.

Pregnancy

Knowing that many drugs and natural products are contraindicated for pregnant women, you might be wondering what could relieve the discomforts caused by your pregnancy. For centuries, acupuncture has been a safe solution to this problem. I personally had some training on the subject and have been treating pregnant women since 2010. Even for the slightest symptom, I recommend a monthly treatment. Furthermore, from the 37th week onwards, I can prepare your body to help make childbirth more efficient and less painful.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of what acupuncture can do:

  • Relieve nausea and vomiting
  • Relieve anxiety and fatigue
  • Treat pregnancy sinusitis
  • Treat pregnancy carpal tunnel
  • Treat constipation
  • Treat blood circulation issues, swelling and leg heaviness
  • Relieve back, sciatic, abdominal and pelvic pain
  • Prevent certain forms of preterm labour
  • Treat oligohydramnios (lack of amniotic fluid)
  • Fix breech position, ideally between 30th and 34th weeks
  • Prepare childbirth :
    • Help labour induction if post-term
    • Help cervical and perineum effacement
    • Stimulate uterine contractility

During this sometimes insecure period, especially for first-timers, my motto is to never let even the smallest symptom worsen; this is why I encourage communication and will try to see you quickly if necessary.

Menopause

The hormonal roller coaster women experience throughout their life is not an easy ride. When I say to those who suffer psychologically and physically from menopause that I understand them, it is because I actually went through it about ten years ago. Being intolerant to hormone replacement therapy, I turned to my acupuncturist and the wisdom of Chinese medicine to help me weather the storms that are premenopause and menopause, which proved to be very beneficial. It is therefore with much empathy and interest that I have been focussing on the subject since 2010. I try and use my knowledge and the various possibilities offered by acupuncture to help women during this often trying period in their life. Here is what I can help you with :

  • Daytime and nighttime hot flashes
  • Lack of motivation, irritability, melancholy, gloom, emotional fragility, anxiety
  • Mental and muscular fatigue
  • Insomnia
  • Lack of libido
  • Vaginal and skin dryness
  • Weight gain
  • Memory loss and low attention span
  • Joint pain and tendinitis

There are many ways to live a rich and beautiful life, full of wisdom and appreciation, even after 40. Don’t let menopause destroy your prospect of a happy future. Trust yourself and take action: acupuncture can help you get there.

Nancy Mongrain, Ac. 2022