A study involving nearly 3500 women in several countries suggests that Chinese herbs are more effective in relieving menstrual cramps than drugs. According to the Cochrane library journal herbs not only relieved pain but reduced the recurrance of the condition over three months.

 ” All available measures of effectiveness confirmed the overall superiority of Chinese herbal medicine to placebo, no treatment, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,oral contraceptive pill, acupuncture and heat compression” said lead author Xiaoshu Zhu from the Centre for Complementary Medicine Research of Univeristy of Western Sydney.

 Chinese herbal medicine has been used to treat this condition for thousands of years and women are increasingly looking for non drug treatments. The survey involved 39 trials with 53% of those who took reporting less pain compared with 26% in the placebo group.

 This is gret news and certainly comes as no surprise to me or the many patients that I have treated for painful menstrual cramps, mood changes, breast distension, heavy bleeding, irregular cycles, menstrual headaches, bloating and food cravings before and during their period.

 I generally recommend three months of treatment, including herbal medicine to be taken daily, acupuncture treatments throughout the month, dietary changes, abdominal massage and stress reducing exercises. During this time dramatic changes can be made in regulating the menstrual cycle eliminating PMS symptoms and menstrual pain naturally.

POSTED February 1st, 2008 By Michelle Hughes