Whether you are frustrated with fertility issues or experiencing the early stages of menopause, maintaining your reproductive health at every stage of life is a challenge. Fatigue, weight gain, sleep disturbances, and irritability may make you feel emotionally unstable during times of extreme hormonal changes, but hormonal imbalances can also make pregnancy and carrying a baby to term nearly impossible. Where hormonal imbalances were once chalked up to a phase of life, new therapies have revolutionized women’s health at every stage of the reproductive cycle.
What Causes a Hormonal Imbalance?
Hormonal changes in women happen at several predictable places in their lives. The most common of which are:
- Menses (the first period)
- Pregnancy
- Childbirth
- Post-partum weeks or months
- Peri-menopause (the years leading up to menopause)
- Menopause
However, several factors may play a part in a woman’s hormone levels. These may include (but are not limited to):
- Obesity
- Endometriosis
- Age
- Diet
- Stress
- Problems
What are the symptoms of a hormonal imbalance?
While the causes of a hormonal imbalance are varied, many people experience one or more of the following symptoms.
- Fatigue
- Unexplained weight gain
- Hot Flashes
- Sleep Disturbances
- Mood Changes
- Irritability
- Infertility
- Miscarriage
- Persistent, diffuse pain
- Decreased Muscle Mass & Strength
- Decreased Libido
While many of these symptoms are associated with other medical conditions, their combination is what generally points to a hormonal imbalance.
How are women’s health issues treated?
As tempting as it may be to take a one-size-fits-all medication for a hormonal imbalance, there is more to optimizing a woman’s health.
Acupuncture
In women wanting to become pregnant, acupuncture has been proven to work well with IVF for conception, maintaining pregnancy, and labor preparation. Even in women who are not participating in IVF, acupuncture promotes regular ovulation and menstruation, reduces PMS symptoms like migraines and cramping, and treats irregularities in menstrual flow. It also balances your entire reproductive system and stimulates the body to nourish the uterus so conception can occur.
Chiropractic
We often think about chiropractic care as a treatment for back pain. In reality, the nerves that supply a woman’s reproductive system originate in the spinal cord. When the bones of the spine are out of alignment, the nerves that control everything from ovulation to uterine contractions are not able to properly send and receive signals. Once the bones are aligned, the nerves can send and receive signals between the reproductive system and the brain, allowing for more regular menstruation, easier conception, a more comfortable pregnancy, and an easier recovery after birth.
Curious about which treatment combination is right for you? Call our office today or schedule your consultation online and begin to experience better health.