Women’s Health & Gynecology

Each aspect contributes unceasingly to the overall composition of the physical body. We may find harmony in any dis-ease if we quietly sit, tune into our hearts and souls, and search the depths of our being….

Many women experience disorders on a daily basis that are not necessary to live with. Erroneously, they may not be getting the correct information about all their options and treatment modalities available to them. Many complaints and disorders may be typically dismissed in conventional medicine because they cannot be diagnosed through conventional lab work or clinical methods. Therefore, there may not be a diagnosable disease that is developed at that time. Nonetheless, uncomfortable symptoms patients experience such as restlessness at night, headaches, high levels of anxiety, and painful menses, for example, are very real and are connected in Traditional Chinese Medicine. In conclusion, even if they are not a diagnosable disease in western medicine, these symptoms are all part of a disharmony pattern and are treatable in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

In TCM the body is treated as a whole, meaning one organ-system’s function affects another organ-system’s function. All these above signs and symptoms are put together and an organ-system dysfunction can be diagnosed. Each organ-system is responsible for certain functions in the body. For example, kidney organ system is responsible for lower back, knees and urination to name a few. So, when a patient is experiencing lower back pain, frequent urination at night and has had a couple knee surgeries, then it is clearly an imbalance of the kidney organ system.

Imbalances first start in terms of energy in the body and then proceed to the physical level. It may take many, many years before the actual organ is affected and a western disease is detected. Usually, the energy of the organ-system is imbalanced showing up in symptoms that may seem unrelated in conventional medicine, but very meaningful and treatable in TCM. In conclusion, TCM addresses this energetic interaction of the organ-systems allowing change to occur long before the deterioration has progressed to a fully developed disease, and if it is developed TCM can change the interaction to help heal the disorder completely.

Menses Irregularities:

Women experience many different types of gynecological disorders without knowing that it is not necessary to tolerate these imbalances. The menses cycle can be harmonized resulting in balanced energy and blood flow, as well as comfort.

Women menses are usually between 24 to 32 days, painless in general, variable blood flow of (3) three to (5) five days with minor emotional and physical discomfort, before, during and after. Frequently, women in our society experience “painful periods” of extreme heavy bleeding or spotting only, extreme fatigue, lower back pain, headaches and/or dizziness. All of these show imbalances in the system and can be corrected. Even the newly diagnosed PMS disorders show an imbalance in the functioning of the organ systems and can be be effectively harmonized. .

For these types of imbalances, treatments are scheduled either once or twice a week, depending on severity, and accompanied with Chinese Herbology. Laboratory blood tests and other western diagnostic tools may be incorporated for the overall treatment strategy.

Endometriosis:

Endometriosis is a disease that has very limited treatment options in conventional medicine. Patients usually suffer greatly with limited choices of treatment consisting mainly of birth control pills, pregnancy or surgery.

Certain Chinese herbal formulas and TCM Acupuncture treatments have been documented to reduce the growth of Endometriosis, either by helping the immune system and decreasing Immunoglobin M antibody levels and/or by lowering estrogen levels and riding the body of excess estrogen. In TCM, Endometriosis is considered to be a Stasis of Blood stagnation and is treated by it’s symptoms and by the root cause which may differ in individuals.

Fibroids & Cysts:

In TCM, Fibroids and Cysts are considered to be an accumulation of either qi, blood, or phlegm or a combination of those. There may also be an underlying deficiency or excess problem existing and needs to be addressed as well, in order to prevent condition from reoccurance. It can be treated very effectively with Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture. Depending on particular case, fibroids can be diminished in size and/or completely dissolved. Treatment strategy for cases of this nature usually include a few consecutive treatment cycles. Usually a treatment cycle consists of 10 treatments.

Other Gynecological Disorders:

The following is a list of other disorders that can be effectively addressed by TCM.
Hormonal Imbalance
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Dysmennorhea
Miscarriages
Menopausal Symptoms
Increase Libido
Chronic Yeast Infections
Urinary Tract Infections
Headaches/ Migraines
Fatigue & Lack of Energy

Anxiety, Depression & Panic Disorders:
Our physical body reflects and encompasses our emotional body as well. It is believed that the physical body holds emotions on a cellular level. Emotions that have been repressed, either from hereditary factors, past experiences or crisis in our own life, are held deep within our cellular makeup and may create blockages and impede the energetic flow through meridians and channels in our bodies. When there is energetic blockage in our body, a physical blockage may proceed, sometimes, preventing energy flow to nourish certain organ-systems thus creating disharmony and/or disease.

On an emotional level, the experience may be felt rather than seen as a physical disorder. In other words, one might feel depressed most of the time, experience panic attacks, high levels of anxiety or continuous sadness due to these energetic blockages within the channels and meridians. When one is assessed in TCM, the organ-systems and channels affected are diagnosed and the treatment is geared at correcting these imbalances in energy and eliminating the symptom they are experiencing.

Therefore, emotional imbalances are one of the disharmonies that have very good success with TCM and patients are usually able to maintain their emotional health. Sometimes maintenance treatments are recommended which can be received between four to eight weeks, for long term health.

Pregnancy Health:

First Trimester (0-12 weeks):
Acupuncture and TCM is offered to patients through early stages of pregnancy in order to strengthen their body’s blood flow and circulation and decrease the nausea, fatigue and other common discomforts of pregnancy. Treatment Sessions consist of weekly visits with herbal consultation and relaxation therapies.

Second Trimester (13-24weeks):
Second trimester treatments of Acupuncture and TCM can be continued to help patients physically as well emotionally. Keeping the organ-systems balanced and nourishing the body with Qi (vital energy) and Blood is helpful to pregnancy and the many changes that tax the body considerably during this time. Many discomforts of the digestive system, nervous system, muscular and energy depletion can be alleviated by Acupuncture and TCM treatments.

Third Trimester (25-40 weeks):
This is a serious time in pregnancy when the body is asked to complete the life it is growing within. Acupuncture and TCM can assist the body in this transition phase by nourishing with Qi (vital energy) and Blood to strengthen the system’s function and meet the demands of childbirth and recovery.

Prenatal Massage:
Receiving massage during pregnancy helps to increase circulatory flow and energy as well as help with discomforts of swelling, avoiding early Braxton-hicks contractions, lower back pain, muscle aches, etc.. Prenatal massage will also help lower risks during pregnancy and positively strengthen the body for childbirth and recovery.

Our licensed massage therapists are specifically trained in PreNatal massage and have the knowledge of other effective modalities such as Acupressure, Aromatherapy, Cranial-Sacral therapy, Thai Stretching, The Body-Talk System, Reflexology and others. Each massage offers safe and unique technique reflecting the patient’s need at the moment.