Mark Ian Schwartz, L.Ac.

Fellow of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine, Dipl. O.M. (NCCAOM)

Oscar Sierra, L.Ac.

Nationally Board Certified Acupuncture (NCCAOM),
Dipl. O.M.

A woman's body goes through many cycles in the course of a lifetime. From the onset of puberty, to pregnancy, and finally menopause, with years of menstruation in between, a woman's body and hormones are in a constant state of change. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can restore balance at any stage of a woman's life. TCM has been proven to have a positive effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, the body's mechanism that is responsible for keeping the female reproductive system in balance.

Women's health issues respond exceptionally well to TCM. Today, traditional protocols are combined with advances in Western medical science to maximize the success of treatments. Most gynecological conditions can be brought under control in three to six menstrual cycles.

• Amenorrhea (absent periods)
• Dysmenorrhea (painful periods)
• Irregular periods
• Long periods
• Heavy periods
• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
• Perimenopause and Menopausal symptoms
• Thyroid conditions
• Endometriosis
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
• Fibroids
• Genital herpes
• Genital warts (HPV)
• Cervical dysplasia
• Hormonal migraines
• Chronic yeast infections
• Urinary Tract infections (UTI)

The following studies illustrate the effectiveness of TCM for women's health conditions:

• A 2002 study published in The Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine focused on women diagnosed with painful periods due to endometriosis. The results showed that 81% of the women had significantly less pain with their periods after receiving acupuncture.
• A 2002 study on women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) found that 78% of participants who received a four-week course of acupuncture experienced a significant reduction in symptoms of anxiety, irritability, headache, breast pain, insomnia, bloating, nausea, and gastrointestinal disorders.
• A 2005 Chinese study looked at women with ovarian cysts to determine the therapeutic effect of acupuncture and moxabustion combined with Chinese herbs. In the treatment group, 54% of the women had enough improvement in their condition to be considered cured. In the control group, which did not receive TCM therapies, only 15% of the women were considered cured. In 2000, a Swedish study on women with PCOS found that acupuncture treatments over a three-month period regulated ovulation in 38% of the women.
• A 1999 study found that TCM is a very effective treatment for menopausal symptoms of hot flashes, sweating, insomnia, and anxiety. Hot flashes decreased by 35% and insomnia by 50% in women who received acupuncture and herbs for seven weeks.

For further information on TCM and women's health, please visit:

• Acufinder.com: Women's Health

Text for this page provided by Cindi Ignatovsky, L.Ac.

Jenny Karns, L.Ac.

Nationally Board Certified Acupuncture (NCCAOM), Five Element Acupuncture

Lauren Schwartz

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Community Counseling, NCC (National Certified Counselor)

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