Acupuncture can be very effective for the emotional symptoms of PMS (premenstrual syndrome); there is no reason you need to live with depression or, irritability for a week before the period every month. Please see the section on PMS in the women’s health section.
PMS can include a large number of symptoms that precede the menses. These can range from the mental/emotional, such as irritability, depression and agitation to physical symptoms, such as cramping, breast tenderness and distention. There may be digestive disturbances such as bloating, sugar cravings and bowel changes. There also may be headaches, and migraines that occur monthly around the period.
Often, these symptoms begin to appear a few days to a week before the period, but in more severe cases, they may start immediately after mid-cycle and ovulation.
Many PMS symptoms can be successfully treated using a combination of acupuncture and herbal medicine. Symptoms can be reduced in severity, and many times eliminated. Also, the window in which symptoms are experienced may be shortened.
This may mean commencing acupuncture and herbal treatment at the start of the usual time of PMS onset, but this may need to be determined after your first consultation, depending on other findings by your practitioner.