Well4ever in Putney, London has significant expertise in offering therapies specific to women’s health. Natural health therapies focus on targeting the root cause of a health problem.There is a growing body of evidence concerning the effective use of acupuncture to treat health problems specific to women. To find out more, see our resources page. We also offer massage, reflexology, chiropractic, osteopathy and more. See our treatments page for details.
Pre-Menstrual Syndrome or Tension (PMS/PMT)
PMS is the experience of one or more symptoms occurring just before or during menstruation. Approximately 2 to 10% of women experience symptoms that severely disrupt day to day living. Symptoms include breast tenderness, back pain, abdominal cramping, fatigue, depression, dizziness and bloating. Experiences vary widely from person to person, with some women feeling debilitated by the while others remain unaffected. Conventional Western medicine tends to treat PMS in terms of the symptoms experienced. So for each symptom, a drug might be prescribed to manage that particular complaint, neglecting the larger bodily system and potential root causes of PMS. One major benefit of using a natural approach is that it avoids using drugs that have side effects.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
PCOS affects millions of women in the UK. Three primary manifestations of PCOS are the development of (harmless) cysts in the ovaries, lack of regular ovulation and the presence of high levels of androgens in the body. PCOS may go unnoticed for some time. Some of the more recognisable symptoms are irregular periods, oily skin, difficulty conceiving.
Western medicine is not able to pinpoint the cause behind PCOS, although it recognises the problem to be associated with the endocrine system and offers treatment to alleviate symptoms and increase chances of conception.
Conversely, traditional and integrative treatments, such as acupuncture, may be able to establish a root cause for PCOS, such as a deficiency or excess or yin or yang, or blocked qi in one of or more of the body’s meridians. It then goes on to treat the condition from the source, as opposed to simply managing and reducing symptoms.
Ovarian Cysts
Ovarian cysts are very common and often disappear on their own, without causing any symptoms or physical damage. However, in some cases, if the cyst ruptures, grows very large or prevents blood reaching the ovaries, it can cause symptoms including pelvic pain, frequent urination, alteration to menstruation, indigestion and bloating and fatigue.
Ovarian cysts can occur for different reasons; some (functional ovarian cyst) develop as part of the menstrual cycle and do not cause any harm, disappearing naturally, others (pathological ovarian cyst) are caused by abnormal cell growth. Ovarian cysts do not usually pose a threat to a woman’s fertility.
Endometriosis
According to the NHS, endometriosis most commonly occurs in women between 25 and 40 years old and is believed to affect approximately two million women in the UK. It is a chronic condition that occurs when tissue that acts as the lining of the womb is present outside the womb, usually on the ovaries, lining of the pelvis behind the uterus and covering the top of the vagina.
As with endometrium (uterine lining) in the womb, endometrium outside the womb thickens in response to monthly hormonal changes, however it cannot be shed, during menstruation (unlike the endometrium in the womb). As a result the body undergoes swelling and pain in certain areas.
While endometriosis does not necessarily produce any symptoms, when it does, affected women experience painful and/or heavy periods. It also tends to cause abdominal pain, as well as pain in the pelvis and/or lower back. It can cause fertility problems if the tissue is present on the fallopian tubes and ovaries. As well as these physical symptoms endometriosis can also contribute towards fatigue, low mood and depression.
Conventional Western medicine is unsure of the underlying causes of endometriosis but offers hormone therapy and drugs to manage symptoms. Surgery is also available, however endometriosis tends to recur. Traditional Chinese Medicine for instance understands the underlying cause of endometriosis to be in blood stasis and offers acupuncture and dietary recommendations accordingly. In addition, acupuncture treatments have been shown to cause the release of endorphins, helping women suffering from endometriosis to deal with the pain and boost their body’s natural healing ability.