On a scale of 1 naprogesic to a full day agonising in bed how is your period pain?
Some of the patients I work with have the most excruciating period pain, coupled with vomiting, violent diarrhoea, migraines and body sensitivity.
In clinic I like to ask people where they feel their pain:
Does it stay fairly local to the lower abdomen?
Is it fixed and stabbing anywhere?
Is it more concentrated around the sacrum?
Do you get a dragging sensation down your inner thighs?
Do you get any other pain in your body just before your period is due to arrive.
What makes it feel better?
Do you like a sense of pressure over your womb?
Does it feel better or worse with heat?
Does it impact on your sleep?
It is my current understanding, that excuciating period pain may be a sign that there is some degree of endometriosis happening in the abdomen. However, the only way to get a confirmed diagnosis of endometriosis is by having laparoscopic surgery. Needless to say, many women would prefer to seek out natural healing modalitites before having surgery.
Because of that, I believe there must be a high number of endometriosis cases that go undiagnosed, resulting in a monthly pain cycle for many women. And for some women, the surgery turns out to be the best thing they ever did for their gyne health. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine can definitely play a role in period pain management and blood health. And i am also a big advocate that for some patients, they may need to gently stay open to the idea that a laparoscopic intervention may also be something that is needed on their healing journey.