Acupuncture For Menopause Symptoms

Women typically begin to experience perimenopause at 40-45 and menopause between the ages of 45 and 55, and symptoms can last up to 14 years after initial onset. When you enter menopause depends on a variety of factors, from lifestyle and dietary choices to genetics. But, regardless of when you start menopause, menopause itself is inevitable. This dramatic hormonal change can contribute to a whole host of uncomfortable symptoms, including hot flashes, insomnia, mood swings, acne, depression, and anxiety. If you’re struggling to overcome your hormonal symptoms and are looking for natural treatments, it’s time to consider acupuncture for menopause.

By reducing stress, balancing hormones, and promoting relaxation, acupuncture can help menopausal women cope with their symptoms. Acupuncture makes the transition of menopause much smoother for women, overall. 

Acupuncture helps menopausal women reduce stress

Acupuncture is a treatment of choice because it is holistic and a nondrug therapy and its ability to reduce stress. Research shows that acupuncture decreases the stress response by influencing cortisol levels. Cortisol is the body’s primary stress hormone and what causes swelling and inflammation as well as weight gain. When levels are high, they can contribute to many of the symptoms associated with menopause, including anxiety, depression, mood swings, hot flashes, and weight gain (especially around the midsection).

Stress is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, a major biofeedback center of the endocrine system. When you feel stressed, your body makes more stress hormones. The presence of high-stress hormones keeps your body feeling stressed, thus creating a vicious cycle. But by blocking the effects of stress hormones, acupuncture can break that cycle so you can finally relax.

It’s also worth noting that acupuncture can modulate neurotransmitter activity. Neurotransmitters, like serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, endorphins, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) all influence our moods, and adequate levels of these hormones are essential for our well-being.

Interestingly, neurotransmitters are also closely linked to hormone levels. So when hormones fall during menopause, neurotransmitter activity can become imbalanced as a result. Serotonin, in particular, is often low in menopausal women because it’s negatively influenced by declining estrogen levels. Studies show that acupuncture can increase serotonin activity, which won’t just make you feel good, but it’s also essential for many bodily functions including digestion and sleep. 

Acupuncture reduces the symptoms of estrogen deficiency

Menopause is a complex metabolic process and is unique for every woman. For some women, their body slowly and steadily puts the brakes on sex hormone production, allowing for a relatively symptom-free menopause. But for other women, their bodies alternate between producing too much of some hormones and not enough of the others, and this contributes to hormonal imbalance and — you guessed it! — menopausal symptoms. 

Generally speaking, the worse your menopause symptoms are, the more inflammation and hormonal imbalances are present. Shifting hormones can upset your life wreaking havoc on your relationships, your moods, and your physical and emotional well-being. But you don’t have to just sit back and take it. Acupuncture can help.

At Integrative Healing Arts, we use a personalized approach with acupuncture and Chinese medicine to support women of all ages with all manner of health and hormonal conditions. Acupuncture is an effective and supportive therapy for PCOS, endometriosis, period pain, irregular periods, and infertility. It is safe for expectant mothers throughout their pregnancies, and C-section recovery, as well as postpartum anxiety find relief from their symptoms.

Acupuncture is so effective at supporting the body to balance hormones that it can help women in perimenopause with their declining estrogen levels. By acting upon the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, acupuncture increases estrogen levels, fighting the weight gain, fatigue, insomnia, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, irregular periods, and loss of skin elasticity commonly associated with this life transition.

Acupuncture promotes weight loss

During a woman’s reproductive years, the balance of estrogen and progesterone as well as other hormones part of maturing, encourage the body to store fat in the hips. Hence the hourglass figure as an indication of fertility. We need body fat for metabolic health. During menopause, what often happens is cortisol becomes much higher because the metabolism can slow down. Because we live in a culture that is demanding and expects “hard work”; women tend to overwork themselves including overexercising or extreme dieting. Some menopausal women also experience elevated androgen hormones, like testosterone. This shifts the weight off the hips and into the midsection.

If you’ve noticed weight gain during your transition into menopause, even though you’re eating and exercising the same, then your hormones are likely in flux. Menopausal weight gain is real. For many women, losing weight around menopause is just as hard as losing weight after pregnancy.

Acupuncture supports healthy weight loss, not just by reducing stress and balancing hormones. But also by helping to regulate insulin and improving glucose metabolism. Acupuncture helps your body metabolize efficiently. Furthermore, acupuncture stimulates lipolysis, or fat burning, helping you to lose weight around the middle.

Acupuncture supports healthy liver function

Did you know that low estrogen levels can contribute to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)? In women of a healthy weight, estrogen is hepatoprotective, supporting healthy liver metabolism. Estrogen is key for fat metabolism, supporting the liver to detox, converting food for energy, and storing leftover glucose in the form of glycogen to be used later.

When estrogen levels drop during menopause, liver function may suffer, with the liver suddenly developing fatty deposits that can lead to devastating consequences for your health. With insufficient levels of estrogen, liver function is challenged. The liver begins storing excess energy as fatty deposits, and toxins build up and are stored in the fat.

NAFLD increases your risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Having a fatty liver makes you less sensitive to insulin, and more prone to chronic inflammation. Interestingly, some of the symptoms associated with NAFLD are also common in menopausal women, including weight gain in the belly, inflammation, insomnia, difficulty losing weight, digestive issues, acne, and fatigue.

Because acupuncture helps with inflammation and regulating hormones such as estrogen, it can help with detoxing and protect you from NAFLD as you enter menopause. Acupuncture also supports liver health by inhibiting inflammation, fighting oxidation, regulating lipid metabolism, and promoting a healthy insulin response. Remember, your liver is your body’s major detoxifier. A happy liver aids in weight loss, hormonal balance, and skin health, so make it one of your top priorities. 

Contact us today

Why suffer with uncomfortable symptoms of menopause when you don’t have to? Study after study illustrates acupuncture’s effectiveness in helping to regulate hormonal imbalances and symptoms. If you’re ready to naturally address your menopause symptoms, get in touch with us today. 

At Integrative Healing Arts, we love helping our clients meet their unique health goals. Whether you’re looking for anti-aging acupuncture, massage therapy, or herbal medicine, we’re your one-stop shop for all things holistic health.

Acupuncture For Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Pelvic floor dysfunction is often overlooked, though it is a leading cause of urinary and bladder control issues. It’s a lot more common than you might think! Sadly, because the side effects of pelvic floor dysfunction can be a bit embarrassing, many people go undiagnosed and never seek treatment for their symptoms. 1 in 3 women will experience it.

Many people seeking help may get the wrong advice such as doing Kegels which can cause more inflammation and contraction of the tissue.

Health symptoms such as IBS, painful periods, and lower back pain will involve the pelvis and be the cause of pelvic floor muscle issues.

By starting acupuncture for pelvic floor dysfunction, you can take control of your health and finally find relief from your symptoms. So, how does it work, exactly?

Pelvic floor acupuncture can help the muscles in the pelvic floor, supporting normal muscle function. This helps the pelvic floor muscles to reset so they contract and relax as they should, without causing pain. 

What are the symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction?

Pelvic floor dysfunction occurs when the muscles in and around the pelvis that support the bladder and bowel (and uterus and vagina in women) either become too tight (hypertonia) or too loose and weak (hypotonia). Pelvic floor dysfunction is a structural, muscular, and connective tissue disorder. The muscles fail to contract and relax properly, and this is what contributes to the painful symptoms associated with the condition.

Symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction in women include:

• IBS

• Painful periods

• Vaginal dryness

• Bladder incontinence

• Fecal incontinence

• Anal leakage

• Urinating when coughing, laughing, or sneezing

• Inability to urinate, or a stream that stops and starts

• Inability to have a bowel movement and/or painful bowel movements

• Constipation

• Diarrhea

• Breaking wind when bending over or squatting down

• Recurrent UTIs

• Loss of sensation in the vagina

• Cystocele

• Painful sex

• Inability to achieve orgasm

• A sense of heaviness in the pelvic region

• Lower back and/or hip pain

Pelvic floor dysfunction can lead to a plethora of unpleasant, downright debilitating symptoms. But women aren’t the only ones who struggle with pelvic floor dysfunction. Men can struggle with this condition as well. Symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction in men include:

• Bladder incontinence

• Fecal incontinence

• Inability to urinate, even when you feel the urge to go

• Painful urination

• A stream that stops and starts

• Pain and/or a bulging sensation in the rectum

• Constipation

• Diarrhea

• Painful sex

• Weak erections

Pelvic floor dysfunction can be anxiety-producing, making something as simple as going to the bathroom extremely unpleasant. For some people, it can make it feel impossible. And pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just impede your ability to urinate and defecate, it can also have a negative impact on your sexual health. 

What causes pelvic floor dysfunction?

Pelvic floor dysfunction is prevalent in women who are going through hormonal changes due to birth control and/or who have experienced vaginal childbirth. 50% of women postpartum experience pelvic floor issues, including tailbone injury and scarring from episiotomy or tearing during delivery. That said, it’s worth noting that some women who have undergone C-sections also experience pelvic floor dysfunction.

Often overlooked causes of pelvic floor dysfunction are tailbone injuries or other structural imbalances such as scoliosis or bone fractures.

The muscles in the pelvic floor are acutely sensitive to hormones, especially estrogen. So it’s not unusual for women to develop pelvic floor dysfunction during pregnancy and menopause when levels of this sex hormone fluctuate.

Hormonal changes can lead to pelvic floor dysfunction in men, too. It’s been found that for men, the muscles in the trunk and pelvic floor are influenced by testosterone. When levels of this hormone are too high or too low, this can affect how the pelvic floor muscles work.

Other things that can contribute to pelvic floor dysfunction include obesity, nutritional deficiencies, electrolyte imbalances, chronic constipation, intestinal issues like Crohn’s disease or IBS, and reproductive conditions like PCOS. Surgical procedures that involve cutting through bands of connective tissues, such as might happen during prostate surgery, can also contribute to pelvic floor dysfunction.

How does acupuncture treat pelvic floor dysfunction?

Acupuncture is incredibly safe and effective at relieving deep muscle tension. For people struggling with hypertonic pelvic floor dysfunction, acupuncture increases circulation and fresh blood to the area and encourages those overly-contracted muscles to relax. This makes it easier to go to the bathroom without experiencing any pain. And because acupuncture has a normalizing effect on muscle function, that means it’s just as effective at improving the incontinence issues associated with hypotonic pelvic floor dysfunction.

Studies show that acupuncture is an effective complementary therapy for people experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction. Acupuncture is especially helpful when it comes to treating pelvic pain, and regular treatments significantly improve pelvic muscle tone, reducing symptoms of muscular dysfunction, including prolapse as well as incontinence. When combined with physical therapy, one study suggests that acupuncture has the potential to be even more effective.

Furthermore, acupuncture has a balancing effect on hormones, and that includes sex and stress hormones. Acupuncture exerts an adaptogenic effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, normalizing estrogen levels in women and testosterone levels in men. Getting your sex hormones in check can be a huge step toward reclaiming healthy pelvic floor function.

For many people dealing with pelvic floor issues, stress can lead to worsening symptoms. When we feel stressed, we tend to transfer our anxieties to our muscles. And, since pelvic floor dysfunction is a muscular issue, well, it only makes sense that stress could contribute to the problem. But acupuncture is awesome for reducing stress. It’s one of our go-to therapies for managing stress because it regulates neurotransmitters, like serotonin and dopamine, to boost your mood naturally.

Other therapies can normalize pelvic floor muscle function, too

Pelvic floor dysfunction can be caused by so many things. Getting acupuncture is a great first step, but other therapies can improve your genitourinary symptoms, too.

If you’ve found that stress is a big contributing factor to your pelvic floor dysfunction, regular massages can help tremendously. Massage therapy is also ideal for people struggling with hypertonic pelvic floor dysfunction because it helps keep muscles loose and flexible.

Herbal medicine is an additional therapeutic resource when it comes to treating hormonal and muscle tension relating to pelvic floor dysfunction. Certain herbs, like Bai Shao, can help improve estrogen levels. Using the right herbs in the right doses can further improve your symptoms. (Note: although herbal medicine can be extremely helpful for treating a variety of conditions, you should never take herbal supplements without the guidance of a professional herbalist. Otherwise, you run the risk of making your symptoms worse)

Contact our office today to learn more

Pelvic floor dysfunction can be challenging. Fortunately, you can improve your symptoms, and your quality of life, with the healing powers of acupuncture.

Ready to learn more and take charge of your health? Contact us today. We’ll help you book your first appointment so you can get started.

At Integrative Healing Arts, we strive to help each of our clients overcome their health challenges and create a life that fulfills them. We’re ready to help you, too.

Acupuncture For Cystocele

A cystocele, also sometimes called a bladder hernia, occurs when the wall that separates the bladder and the vagina weakens. This causes the bladder to drop into the vagina, resulting in a distinctive bulge at the vaginal opening. A cystocele can develop after childbirth or as a result of pelvic floor dysfunction, but there are many contributing factors. This condition can lead to a variety of genitourinary symptoms, including chronic UTIs and pelvic pain. If you’re struggling with a cystocele and looking for natural solutions to the problem, acupuncture for cystocele symptoms can be highly effective. 

Acupuncture normalizes both muscle function and hormone levels, both of which can contribute to the development of a cystocele. In some cases, acupuncture can prevent the need for cystocele surgery and eliminate genitourinary symptoms.

What is a cystocele?

A cystocele is a prolapse of the anterior wall of the vagina, which results in the bladder falling into the vagina. The bladder may only lean into the vagina a bit, or it could prolapse completely, resulting in a large round bulge that sticks through the opening of the vagina. The severity of a cystocele can vary.

If you’ve got a cystocele, you know that it can be quite uncomfortable. The bulging bladder leads to a sensation of pressure in the vagina, and the pain may radiate to the back and surrounding pelvic muscles. A cystocele can make urination difficult, as you may feel you need to urinate urgently or frequently, and can never fully empty your bladder. For some women, a cystocele can trigger chronic UTIs.

The physical bulging of the bladder into the vagina can make sex painful, although it is worth noting that sex is not believed to worsen a pelvic organ prolapse. That said, if you’ve got a cystocele, that’s a good indication that you’ve also got pelvic floor dysfunction. 

What causes a cystocele to develop?

There are bands of muscle and connective tissue in the pelvis all designed to keep your bladder, bowels, uterus, and other pelvic organs in place. But when these muscles become weak, or when they suffer trauma, they are no longer able to function as they should. And this may result in some organs leaning onto other organs for support. 

Sometimes, a cystocele develops as a result of a hormonal issue. The organs in the genitourinary tract are estrogen-sensitive, and when estrogen levels fluctuate, as they do during pregnancy or menopause, this can encourage a cystocele to develop. 

But, most often, a cystocele is the result of stretching and/or physical trauma of some kind to the muscles surrounding the bladder and uterus. Pregnancy and childbirth (and not just vaginal childbirth, but C-sections as well) are the primary causes of cystoceles, but obesity, routinely lifting heavy loads, chronic constipation that leads to excessive straining during bowel movements, and even coughing too much can also contribute to prolapse.

Other risk factors can put you at risk of developing a cystocele. Sometimes, women who have undergone hysterectomies develop cystoceles. With the uterus removed, the bladder may have trouble staying in place. But even with their uteruses in place, some women are genetically predisposed to cystoceles. Whatever may be contributing to your cystocele, you know just how uncomfortable they can be.

How does acupuncture treat a cystocele?

Using acupuncture to correct a cystocele may sound crazy. After all, how could a few needles in your muscles encourage your bladder to get back into the proper position? But acupuncture’s effectiveness when it comes to treating this condition stems mostly from its ability to normalize muscle function. And the better the muscles in your pelvic floor work, the better your cystocele symptoms will be. 

Acupuncture exerts a strong effect on the nervous system, triggering deep muscle tissues to relax. In the case of a prolapse, this may sound counterintuitive. The goal should be to strengthen the muscles, right? Not to loosen them. But the truth is, your muscles can’t build strength if they never fully relax. And since acupuncture helps muscles relax and contract normally, it’s the key to regaining pelvic floor function. 

In a study, acupuncture was found to improve pelvic floor dysfunction in postpartum women. After four weeks of daily treatments, acupuncture (along with pelvic floor exercises) resulted in a 3.8cm decrease in bladder neck descent. The study also showed that acupuncture reduced the risk of uterine prolapse.   

Acupuncture regulates hormones to improve cystocele symptoms

The physical effects of acupuncture can’t be overstated. But acupuncture is also beneficial on a hormonal level, and that can influence cystocele symptoms, too. Because women are at an increased risk of developing a cystocele after menopause and other hormonal changes, and because the muscles in the genitourinary tract are highly sensitive to estrogen, it’s worth it to focus on hormonal health.

Keeping your stress and sex hormones in check can be a balancing act. But the prospect becomes much easier when you utilize acupuncture. Regular acupuncture sessions influence the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, normalizing estrogen levels to keep your pelvic floor muscles in prime condition. And, if you’re dealing with other hormone-related issues, like menstrual pain or infertility, acupuncture can help you there as well!

In addition to acupuncture, we may recommend herbal medicine to keep your hormones in check. Certain herbs can be used to regulate hormone levels and alleviate cystocele symptoms. If you’re dealing with a concurrent issue, like PCOS, we can consider these factors as well to create an herbal treatment protocol that supports your body’s unique needs.

Please note that herbal medicine should never be self-prescribed. If you would like to learn more about using herbal remedies to alleviate your symptoms, contact a licensed herbalist to assist you. Taking herbs without knowing which ones you need could worsen your condition. 

Contact Integrative Healing Arts today

A cystocele can make your life difficult, but you have options. Acupuncture has proven to be a safe and effective supportive therapy for cystocele, and pelvic floor health in general. 

At Integrative Healing Arts, improving the lives and well-being of our clients is what we’re all about. If you’re ready to find out for yourself just how healing acupuncture can be, get in touch with us today, and we’ll help you book your first appointment.

Acupuncture For Postpartum Anxiety And Depression

Postpartum hormone fluctuations can put you through the emotional ringer. Even if you’ve never struggled with anxiety before, you may develop anxiety after giving birth simply because your hormones are out of balance. For women suffering from depression and anxiety after their pregnancies, acupuncture can help improve their moods and emotional stability. But what makes acupuncture for postpartum anxiety so effective?

Acupuncture is a safe treatment for women suffering from postpartum depression and anxiety. Regular acupuncture sessions relieve stress, modulate neurotransmitter activity, and balance hormones. 

Acupuncture relieves stress

Caring for your newborn is a special time, but it can also be overwhelming. Newborns sleep 12 to 16 hours a day, which sounds like a lot. But because they sleep in short bursts of 20 to 50 minutes at a time, it can make getting a full night’s sleep nearly impossible. And trying to care for a baby when you’re short on sleep, at a time when you desperately need to rest, is stressful, to say the least.

New moms need to give their bodies time to heal. At Integrative Healing Arts, we advise new moms of the practice of the Chinese tradition “Zuo Yue Zi”, or “sitting the month”. This period focuses on resting as much as possible to recover from pregnancy, eating nourishing, blood-building foods, and bonding with your baby. While we realize that for many women, a complete month of rest with support isn’t possible, we can still make postpartum health a priority.

Whether you’re able to practice the one-month sitting or not, acupuncture is a non-drug therapy that can help as you recover after pregnancy and promote healing. Acupuncture has been shown to reduce the perception of stress. This effect is so potent that acupuncture is often recommended for women undergoing IVF or IUI, as it can significantly enhance embryo transfer success rates.

Stress is a major contributor to anxiety. With a newborn to care for, it can be hard to remember to take care of your needs. With so much to do, it can feel like your world is spinning out of control. By making acupuncture part of your stress management plan, you can address your anxiety and your whole body’s healing.  

Acupuncture combats insomnia

Many new moms will experience sleepless nights and insomnia. A big part of that is because babies have unpredictable sleep patterns. What can you do? Anxiety can also play a role in insomnia after pregnancy. Because acupuncture promotes relaxation and feel-good chemicals that help regulate the circadian rhythm, it can make it easier for you to sleep when the baby sleeps and give your full love and attention to your child.

Acupuncture influences the release of melatonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), norepinephrine, and endorphins. These neurotransmitters play an important role in sleep cycles. Not only that, but they also influence anxiety levels. GABA, for instance, has a calming effect on the brain, while endorphins can enhance your sense of well-being by inhibiting anxiety.

During an acupuncture session, needles are placed into specific acupuncture points along energy lines known as meridians. The needles enter superficially and create “micro-trauma” to the tissue. You may experience a feeling of warmth and tingling around the needle and then notice a feeling of relaxation. This is the relaxation response from the parasympathetic nervous system known as rest and digest.

Acupuncture modulates neurotransmitters which means it addresses more than just muscle tension. When you feel less tension in your muscles, it is a sign that your body is able to experience deep relaxation mentally and emotionally. Less stress and can help you feel strong and confident as you navigate motherhood. So if your mind is keeping you up at night with worry or racing thoughts, acupuncture can help provide you with relief.

Acupuncture balances hormones after pregnancy

After pregnancy, your hormone levels are dramatically shifting, with estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels falling sharply. This is normal as your body readjusts after childbirth. The fluctuating hormones can result in crying spells, frustration, guilt, shame, feelings of anxiousness, on edge, and depression.

If you are breastfeeding, the demand on the body and feeding schedule can delay feeling physically and emotionally strong again. Acupuncture will make a positive difference to you as you recover post-pregnancy.

Numerous studies have shown acupuncture’s ability to improve postpartum depression. Because it's a non-drug and gentle, acupuncture can be used to help women cope with symptoms of depression even during pregnancy. Its adaptogenic nature makes it well-suited as an excellent supportive therapy, regardless of what stage of motherhood you are in.

Acupuncture is excellent for supporting women’s health and hormonal issues, including menopause, premature ovarian failure, menstrual cycle irregularities, and PCOS. It is a powerful and natural way to balance hormones after pregnancy. Studies show that acupuncture raises estrogen and progesterone, as well as prolactin, which is especially beneficial if you’re breastfeeding.

Hormonal balance is directly tied to mental and emotional well-being because hormones and neurotransmitters are inextricably linked. Estrogen, for instance, influences serotonin activity. When estrogen levels fall, so does serotonin activity, and this can lead to depression, low mood, and anxiety. Acupuncture influences both estrogen levels and serotonin activity so that you can enjoy the effects of this powerful “happy hormone”. 

Other therapies that can help treat postpartum anxiety and depression

It’s worth noting that other factors can contribute to postpartum anxiety and depression. Preexisting mood disorders and other factors like complex PTSD may put you at an increased risk of developing postpartum anxiety and depression after delivery.

Postpartum anxiety and depression can develop up to a year after delivery.

Regardless of the underlying cause of your anxiety, beginning acupuncture treatments can make a big difference for you. Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to reduce stress and promote peace of mind. But it’s not the only therapeutic offering we have at our disposal to improve your anxiety-related symptoms.

Massage therapy is beneficial for many clients to help manage stress levels. A therapeutic massage can help you relieve stress and tension you may not have been aware you were carrying, and that can positively support your mental health and wellness.

Herbal medicine is also helpful to support the body and mind after pregnancy. However, herbal supplements should never be taken without professional guidance and special consideration if you are breastfeeding. 

Contact Integrative Healing Arts today

Postpartum anxiety and depression can last for weeks, months, or even years after you have given birth. If you’re struggling to cope with postpartum anxiety or depression, know that you have options.

Acupuncture is a safe, gentle therapy that can support you as you recover after childbirth by regulating your hormones, relieving stress, improving sleep, and supporting emotional well-being.

To learn more about how acupuncture can improve your anxiety post-pregnancy, get in touch with us today. At Integrative Healing Arts, we understand that every patient has different needs. We’ll work with you to create a holistic healing plan that allows you to meet your wellness goals.

What Are The Benefits Of Acupuncture After C-Section?

Motherhood is a gift, but, let’s face it, pregnancy and childbirth are major life changing events. Carrying a baby can take a lot out of you, and the journey doesn’t stop once you’ve delivered your baby. 

Vaginal delivery, while natural can be challenging with recovery, and C-sections (a major surgery) come with longer healing time and their own set of side effects that can be difficult to manage.  

It can take up to a year or longer to recover from having a baby to feel “normal”.

If you’ve recently had a baby via C-section, and are looking for natural ways to help you as you recover, you may be wondering what benefits acupuncture after C-section has to offer.

Many mothers rely on acupuncture after delivery and their C-sections to speed healing, relieve pain, reduce stress, support postpartum depression, and rebalance hormones. Acupuncture can play a critical role in supporting pelvic floor function post-pregnancy. 

Acupuncture alleviates postoperative C-section pain

A C-section isn’t just a means of giving birth. It’s also a major surgery, one that places a huge amount of stress on the body when it’s already quite vulnerable. 

During a C-section, the surgeon makes an incision through seven different layers of tissue.

• Skin.

• Subcutaneous fat.

• Fascia.

• Muscle.

• Peritoneum.

• Uterus.

• Amniotic Sac.

You can imagine the healing needed once the layers are stitched back up after the procedure. A C-section involves cutting through flesh and muscle, and it can be painful, especially as your body begins to readjust after pregnancy.

While a C-Section is a major surgery and painful; if she intends to breastfeed a woman is prescribed ibuprofen or NSAIDS, to help them manage pain. Opioids or codeine may be prescribed for breakthrough pain.

But pain meds can contribute to liver damage, and if you have a personal history or family history of addiction, you may want to steer clear of these types of medications. Fortunately, acupuncture can be used to ease pain naturally, so you can reduce your reliance on pain meds and support healing.

In a randomized trial, women who received acupuncture shortly after their C-sections reported less pain than women who did not receive acupuncture. Additionally, women in the acupuncture group were mobilized more quickly than the control group. 

Even if it’s been several weeks months or even years since you had your C-section, you can still reap the benefits of acupuncture. Acupuncture accelerates the healing process by calming tense muscles, supporting healthy muscle function, and stimulating collagen synthesis to promote C-section incision healing and prevent the development of scar tissue.

Acupuncture rebalances hormones postpartum

During pregnancy, the body ramps up hormone production to support a growing baby, and after labor, hormone levels fall. It’s all a natural part of the process. But because hormones play such a huge role in mood regulation, postpartum hormonal imbalances can leave you feeling down. Baby blues are real. Don’t worry, though, acupuncture can help you through it.

Sometimes, after childbirth, the body starts producing too much cortisol and not enough estrogen or progesterone. For some women, the opposite is true. Regardless of the nature of your postpartum hormonal imbalances, acupuncture can help because of the balancing effect it has on the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis.

Acupuncture gently supports hormonal balance, so you can get back to feeling normal after your pregnancy. Regular sessions also help regulate neurotransmitters to stabilize your moods and enhance your well-being. Acupuncture has long been used as an alternative therapy for postpartum depression, and it can help you feel better faster after your C-section.

Acupuncture can help new mothers cope with stress

Caring for your newborn after a C-section can be stressful. Because a C-section is an invasive surgery, patients require downtime to heal. But getting downtime during one of the busiest times of your life is a lot easier said than done.

New moms have a lot on their plate. Between caring for a baby, coping with the pain of a C-section, and dealing with hormonal fluctuations and mood swings? It’s a lot of stress. And stress is terrible for your health, especially as you begin postpartum recovery. 

We always recommend our new moms start acupuncture as a part of their stress management plan as soon as possible after their C-sections. Acupuncture promotes healthy stress hormone levels. On top of that, acupuncture encourages muscle relaxation.

Ever get a stress headache? Or maybe your back or neck gets a cramp when you’re feeling overwhelmed. That’s because, often, we carry tension in our muscles. Because acupuncture physically forces muscles to relax, this sends a message to the brain, encouraging it to relax, too. And so, the circle of relaxation continues so you can enjoy being a new mom. 

Acupuncture helps restore healthy pelvic floor function

One thing that doesn’t get talked about enough is postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction. Pregnancy stretches the muscles in your pelvic floor, and this weakens them. Many women develop cystoceles or rectoceles after their pregnancies, and even though these conditions are most often seen in women who have given birth vaginally, they can still develop in women who have undergone C-sections.

Pelvic floor dysfunction is a common after-effect of pregnancy, one that can lead to bladder and/or fecal incontinence, as well as recurrent UTIs and a host of sexual issues. But acupuncture can help with all of that, too.

Acupuncture supports healthy muscle function, and because it also stimulates collagen synthesis, it can keep your muscles nice and supple as they regain their strength post-pregnancy. Not only that but because the muscles that make up the pelvic floor are estrogen-sensitive, acupuncture can further improve pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms by regulating hormones.

One study showed that using acupuncture after giving birth reduced pelvic pain and improved pelvic floor strength. So much so that the women who receive acupuncture saw a reduced chance of developing a prolapse after giving birth. 

Get in touch with us today

With so many benefits to offer, acupuncture can play a valuable role in your C-section recovery plan. Regular sessions will help you get back on your feet faster so you can feel better and cherish every minute you spend with your newborn.

At Integrative Healing Arts, we’re passionate about helping out clients as they embark on their health journeys. We understand that every client is unique and that no two treatment protocols look exactly alike. We’re happy to work with you so you can meet your wellness goals.

Get in touch with us today to book your first appointment. You’ll be amazed at just how beneficial acupuncture can be to your overall health.