Hormones are the chemicals produced and discharged by the endocrine glands in the body. Hormonal imbalances are related to a number of different health issues, such as insomnia and the symptoms of menopause. Acupuncture is used as an alternative treatment to balance hormones and relieve symptoms of endocrine disorders. In order to ensure complementary and safe care, consult your doctor before using acupuncture.
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM, a network of channels called meridians runs beneath the skin’s surface and throughout the body. These meridians allow energy to flow between organs, nerves and other tissues. Acupuncturists stimulate and redirect the flow of energy using fine, hairlike metal needles, which are inserted into the skin at specific acupuncture points that lie along the meridians. In an article published on Acufinder.com, licensed acupuncturist Diane Joswick compares this process to straightening a twisted garden hose, allowing the water to flow freely. Acupuncture has been practiced in Asian culture for thousands of years, but only began to gain widespread recognition in the United States after the early 1971, when writer James Reston published an article on Chinese acupuncture for pain relief in the "New York Times."
Acupuncture and Hormone Secretion
In TCM, meridians are thought to connect the endocrine glands to other organs in an interconnected pattern; for example, in women the kidneys, uterus, heart and brain are all thought to be connected. According to the Yin Yang House acupuncture clinic in Chattanooga, Tennessee, a primary acupuncture point for alleviating hormonal imbalances is GV 18, which is known as Qiang Jian in Chinese, or Unyielding Space in English. This point is located on the governing vessel meridian, which runs along the head and spine, and is also indicated for chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. The specific acupuncture points for each patient will vary however; when an acupuncturist develops a treatment plan for a hormonal imbalance, he or she will select acupuncture points based on the patient’s individual symptoms.
Research on Acupuncture for Hormonal Imbalance
Recent scientific studies have shown that acupuncture has been proven to affect hormone balances in humans. A 2004 study published in “The Journal of Neuropsychiatry & Clinical Neurosciences” found that acupuncture increased secretions of the hormone melatonin in patients with anxiety and insomnia, and improved sleep time and efficiency. Acupuncture was also found to affect oestradiol, follicular stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone in a study on postmenopausal women published in “Acupuncture in Medicine” in 2011. The authors of the study also observed a reduction in menopause symptoms as a result of acupuncture treatments.
Considerations
Acupuncture is generally accepted as safe, but as with any treatment some risks and potential side effects do exist. While most patients report very little discomfort, some experience pain or soreness during needle insertion, and according to Joswick, it is common for the symptoms of the condition being treated to worsen for a few days after the first treatment before beginning to improve. When acupuncture is not practiced properly, serious complications may occur, such as infections or organ puncture, and Joswick notes that practitioners lacking sufficient medical training may not refer patients for medical treatment that may be more effective for treating their condition. For these reasons, check your acupuncturist’s credentials before you are treated to make sure that they have met the licensing standards of your region.
References
- National Cancer Institute: Endocrine Glands and Their Hormones
- Full Bloom Acupuncture; Go With the Flow! Balance Your Hormones With Herbs and Acupuncture; Maureen M. Conant, L.Ac.; 2009
- “The Journal of Neuropsychiatry & Clinical Neurosciences”; Acupuncture Increases Nocturnal Melatonin Secretion and Reduces Insomnia and Anxiety: A Preliminary Report; D. Warren Spence, M.A., et al.; February 2004
- “Acupuncture in Medicine”; The Effect of Acupuncture on Postmenopausal Symptoms and Reproductive Hormones: A Sham Controlled Clinical Trial; Sunay D., et al.; March 2011
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Acupuncture - An Introduction
- Acufinder.com; Are There Risks or Side Effects to Acupuncture?; Diane Joswick, L.Ac., M.S.O.M.
