From PMS to our thyroid all the way to menopause and beyond, our hormones are constantly on a high wire act as we seek balance. When we’re experiencing hormonal imbalance in our bodies, symptoms can arise in any number of ways—painful periods, exhaustion, and inconsistent and unpredictable side effects to start. Nobody wants to feel out of control in their own body. Luckily, there are plenty of things we can do to take back that sense of control and improve our quality of life. One of those options? Acupuncture.
Acupuncture can be a huge tool to address hormonal imbalance. Through this Traditional Chinese Medicinal practice, as the thin needles are inserted into strategic points in your body, endorphins are released to help reduce stress and anxiety. If stress is a major factor contributing to your hormonal imbalance, this aspect alone is beneficial, but it’s not the only benefit. Research shows that acupuncture can influence the endocrine system and support the regulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. In layman’s terms? Both systems relate to our hormone production and regulation, including the management of hormones such as cortisol, estrogen, thyroid hormones, and more.
Additionally, acupuncture improves blood flow to the reproductive organs. If someone is struggling with infertility, irregular periods, or body pain through hormonal imbalances, then this is a potential avenue to reduce that discomfort. Hormonal changes brought on by perimenopausal and menopausal transitions bring their own challenges: hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and sleep issues. Acupuncture has shown results in easing these symptoms as well.
Overall, acupuncture can be an ideal therapy to fold into our care routine in supporting hormonal challenges. Each body is unique and requires its own treatment plan, and with every acupuncture session you’ll assess and check-in with where your body is currently at to get the best care to target and respond to what you’re feeling in the moment. Hormone health is tricky, there are a lot of different factors at play, but acupuncture provides an incredible therapy to combat those fluctuations and find yourself in a more balanced space.
Written by: Annie Lindenberg, MFA Creative Writing, Menari Blogger