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Acupuncture treatment for Amenorrhoea
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Amenorrhoea (BE), amenorrhea (AmE), or amenorrhœa, is the absence of a menstrual period in a woman of reproductive age. Physiological states of amenorrhoea are seen, most commonly, during pregnancy and lactation (breastfeeding), the latter also forming the basis of a form of contraception known as the lactational amenorrhoea method. It is said that women suffer an amenorrhea condition if they miss their menstrual period for more than three straight periods.1
CONTENTS
SYMPTOMS
CAUSES
TREATMENTS
SYMPTOMS
The main symptom of the amenorrhea disorder itself is missing a menstrual period. Other symptoms that may arise are unwanted hair growth, deepening of the voice due to excess of male hormones,2 acne, altered sex drive, breast milk secretions among others.3
CAUSES
Amenorrhoea is a symptom with many potential causes. Primary amenorrhoea (menstrual cycles never starting) may be caused by developmental problems such as the congenital absence of the uterus, failure of the ovary to receive or maintain egg cells. Also, delay in pubertal development will lead to primary amenorrhoea. It is defined as an absence of secondary sexual characteristics by age 14 with no menarche or normal secondary sexual characteristics but no menarche by 16 years of age.4 Secondary amenorrhoea (menstrual cycles ceasing) is often caused by hormonal disturbances from the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, from premature menopause or intrauterine scar formation. It is defined as the absence of menses (blood and other matter discharged from the uterus at menstruation) for three months in a woman with previously normal menstruation or nine months for women with a history of oligomenorrhoea (infrequent menstruation).5
TREATMENTS
Amenorrhea due to blood depletion (Deficiency or empty condition): The treatment consists of tonifying the kidney, nourishing the liver, promoting qi and nourishing blood, while regulating the period. Selected points are Ren mai, Bei-shu. Specific description:6
1. GV-4, GV-14, BL-18(ganshu), BL-20 (pishu), BL-23 (shenshu).
2. CV-4, CV-6, SP-6, LU-7, KD-6, (open ren mai), KD-3, ST-36.
Amenorrhea due to blood stasis (Excess or full condition): The treatment consists of pacifying the liver, move qi, tonic spleen, remove damp-phlegm and expel cold from the meridians. Specific description:7
1. Ren mai, Spleen meridian, and moxa.
2. CV-3, SP-8 (diji), LI-4 (yuan), LV-3 (yuan), SP-6, ST-40 (luo).
Footnotes
- Amenorrhea – drugs.com – 2017, https://www.drugs.com/health-guide/amenorrhea.html
- Amenorrhea – thefreedictionary.com – 2017, http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/amenorrhea
- Amenorrhea – medicinenet.com – 2017, http://www.medicinenet.com/amenorrhea/page3.htm
- Diseases and Conditions: Amenorrhea – mayoclinic.org – 2017, http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/amenorrhea/basics/causes/con-20031561
- What causes amenorrhea? – nih.gov – 2017, https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/amenorrhea/conditioninfo/pages/causes.aspx
- Acupuncture in the treatment of Amenorrhea – gfmer.ch – 2001, http://www.gfmer.ch/Presentations_En/Pdf/Acup_Amenorrhea.pdf
- Acupuncture in the treatment of Amenorrhea – gfmer.ch – 2001, http://www.gfmer.ch/Presentations_En/Pdf/Acup_Amenorrhea.pdf