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Acupuncture for amenorrhoea (secondary)

On this page

  1. Overview
  2. Symptoms
  3. Causes
  4. Treatment
  5. Self-help book

1. Overview

Amenorrhoea is absence of menstruation and can be divided into primary amenorrhoea and secondary amenorrhoea. Primary amenorrhea is when a woman doesn't start her menstrual cycle. Secondary amenorrhoea is when the menstrual cycle starts from puberty but then stops.

Secondary amenorrhea is the absence of a period for 3-6 months or more. It affects about 5% of fertile women. It is commonly seen in women who exercise vigorously. To make sure you have amenorrhoea, you should take a pregnancy test first.

2. Symptoms of amenorrhoea

Women with amenorrhoea will have several symptoms, including:

  • No menstrual cycle (period)
  • Blurred vision
  • Sallow complexion
  • Dizziness
  • Lethargy

3. Causes

In western medicine, amenorrhoea is caused by:

  • Hypothalamus dysfunction – stress, excessive exercise, excessive weight loss, obesity or drugs (cannabis, antidepressants) cause the hypothalamus to function less efficiently resulting in reduced pituitary gland function and the release of FSH
  • PCOS – some women with PCOS can suffer with amenorrhoea, although PCOS tends to cause irregular menstrual cycles in most women (oligomenorrhoea)
  • Pituitary disease – some women can have high levels of the hormone prolactin in their blood which signals to the body that it is pregnant and to shut down menstruation
  • Adrenal or thyroid dysfunction – an underactive thyroid can lead to an increase in prolactin levels, which again signals to the body that it is pregnant and should shut down menstruation
  • Premature ovarian failure – where the ovaries are either exhausted or are resistant to stimulation by FSH and LH
  • Long term use of the birth control pill
  • Excessive body weight loss or exercising can cause an hormonal imbalance

4. Acupuncture for amenorrhoea

In traditional Chinese medicine, amenorrhoea is due to a problem with the liver and kidney causing a lack of qi, blood or yin, or a stagnation of qi and blood. In today's world, it is common to see both women and men overworking.

Those that start early, have intense jobs (often corporate types) and have a lack of sleep will be qi and blood deficient. In society today, we equate being fit with being healthy. But this is not correct. Being fit is certainly healthy, but exercising too much is bad for health.

I often see women in my clinic who exercise 5 times a week. This is too much. They often think that it will give them more energy, but exercise only helps to regulate energy, thereby giving you the feeling you have more, it can't give you more. Exercising too much will actually deplete energy levels making women physically weak and thereby less fertile. Dieting is also another big cause of amenorrhoea.

Most women will reduce their food intake to lose weight rather than exercise. This starves the body making it weak and deficient. If you want to lose weight, eat regularly but exercise regularly too. Of course, not too much!

As accupuncture is able to create a hormonal balance and the pituitary gland as well as the hypothalamus, it's able to rectify to a certain degree menstrual problems such as amenorrhoea.

It's also able to regulate the menstrual cycle. It does this by regulating blood flow in the body.

Several research studies have shown that acupuncture treatment is able to treat amenorrhoea in women with menstrual irregularities and PCOS.

5. My Fertility Guide

Read more on how to improve amenorrhoea and fertility in my self-help book My Fertility Guide. Available as a paperback, Kindle and audiobook.

References

Impact of electro-acupuncture and physical exercise on hyperandrogenism and oligo/amenorrhea in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized controlled trial. Elizabeth Jedel, Fernand Labrie, Anders Od�n, G�ran Holm, Lars Nilsson, Per Olof Janson, Anna-Karin Lind, Claes Ohlsson, and Elisabet Stener-Victorin. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism 2011 300:1, E37-E45.

Donoyama N, Hotoge S, Ohkoshi N. Accupuncture might have contributed to improving amenorrhoea in a top athlete. Acup in Medicine 2011;29:304-306.

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My Fertility Guide - How To Get Pregnant Naturally

My Fertility Guide: How To Get Pregnant Naturally

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