Chiropractic Care for
Menstrual Pain and PMS

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Treating more than just back pain

When you hear the term chiropractor, you may be thinking of treatment just for back pain. In reality, chiropractors treat many conditions because they target their healing efforts to the spine and nervous system.

As many as three in four women experience premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in their lifetime (Source). PMS and menstrual pain are some of the many health problems that can be improved by chiropractic methods.

Positive spinal health can mean relief for symptoms like:

What causes PMS?

When it comes to the physical and emotional symptoms experienced before your period starts, doctors do not know the cause. Medical professionals usually agree that PMS is caused by changes in hormone levels.
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The relationship
between your spine
and menstrual pain

Your spine protects your nervous system, which controls the reproductive system and endocrine system. Nerve interference from a misalignment in the spine can lead to poor or improper functioning of these systems. Spinal adjustments can correct this issue and benefit your health.

A chiropractor can offer treatment for PMS and menstrual pain because their adjustments address nerve interference and help relieve painful periods. Chiropractic treatment considers the body as a whole, not just a sum of its parts.

This means that treating your headaches, bloating, back pain, cramping, and other forms of menstrual pain involves looking at the source. In this case, the source is your hormones and reproductive system that are receiving signals from the spine.

 
  • Chiropractors view your body as a whole and not the sum of its parts.
  • A spinal adjustment can relieve pain and facilitate the health of your nervous system.
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Finding the source
of your pain

Dysmenorrhoea is the medical term for menstrual pain. Primary dysmenorrhea is common menstrual cycle cramps that accompany a period. Secondary dysmenorrhea is pain caused by a disorder in the reproductive organs like endometriosis, adenomyosis, uterine fibroids, etc.

Chiropractic care seeks to relieve the pain of primary dysmenorrhea. If you experience sustained cramps, your doctor may want to conduct a pelvic exam and other tests to rule out certain health issues.

The best way to alleviate menstrual pain and severe PMS is to find the source of pain. Your doctor can screen for different health problems. A chiropractor can use an adjustment to ensure your spine placement is protecting your nervous system and not harming it.

Pain relief for menstrual cramps

Menstrual cramps are caused by muscle contractions in the uterus. If it contracts too strongly, it can press against nearby blood vessels and cut off the oxygen supply to the muscle tissue. This is what causes pain.

Most suggested treatments for severe menstrual pain come in the form of over-the-counter medications. Another common method of treating severe PMS and menstrual pain is through hormonal birth control.

Chiropractic care offers an alternative for women when it comes to treating menstrual pain. Studies have shown that women who received regular chiropractic adjustments benefit from a reduced severity of their PMS symptoms (Source).

Seeing a chiropractor for your period pain helps you:

 
  • Avoid dependency on over-the-counter pain medications
  • Opt out of hormonal birth control if it doesn't fit your health or family plans
  • Reduce the severity of PMS symptoms
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What are the symptoms
of PMS?

There are a wide variety of symptoms for PMS, and women often experience different symptoms throughout their lives. Some forms of PMS symptoms include:
 
  • Bloating or gassiness
  • Cramping
  • Headache or backache
  • Lower tolerance for noise or light
  • Constipation or diarrhea
  • Breast tenderness
  • Sleep problems
  • Irritability and mood swings
  • Appetite changes like food cravings
  • Tension or anxiety
  • Sadness

Natural ways to treat PMS

There are a few lifestyle choices that you can make to reduce the severity and frequency of your PMS and menstrual pain.
 
  • Exercise: women who exercise regularly experience less menstrual pain (Source).
  • Supplements: certain vitamins have been linked to reduced PMS symptoms.
  • Diet: avoiding fats, sugars, and excess salts in your food can reduce inflammation.

Chiropractic care offers natural pain relief through a variety of methods. If you are looking for an integrative approach to treating your menstrual pain, consider adding chiropractic adjustments to your treatment plan.
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