Period pain (dysmenorrhoea) is one of the most commonly treated conditions at Rozelle Acupuncture. It is also one of the most dismissed, which is often why people end up here.
The research is encouraging but not settled. Systematic reviews report reduced pain intensity with acupuncture compared with no treatment, and a Cochrane review found a possible benefit while rating the quality of the evidence as low, largely because the trials were small and poorly blinded. That is an honest summary: promising, not proven. Severe or worsening period pain also deserves proper investigation for endometriosis or adenomyosis, and we will push you towards that if the picture warrants it.
In Chinese Medicine, period pain most commonly reflects patterns of Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis, with or without underlying Cold or Heat. Treatment is tailored to your specific pattern and may include acupuncture both during the painful period and throughout the cycle to address root causes.
Chinese herbal medicine is a common adjunct to acupuncture for period pain, and classical formulas such as Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang have been studied in dysmenorrhoea, though again in small trials. Some patients report meaningful improvement within 2-3 menstrual cycles of treatment; others do not, and we will review honestly with you at that point rather than keep going indefinitely.