Agonizing Pain to Regained Freedom: 16-Year-Old Overcomes Debilitating Periods, Returns to School and Sports Within 3 Months

Ella was a 16-year-old girl who came to me because she was suffering from intense pain during her periods. Her period was also irregular, and she lived in fear of when it might come. When she did get it, she would be out of commission for about two days with severe pain, a very heavy flow and exhaustion. She was missing school and orchestra practice and she had recently quit the volleyball team because she felt overwhelmed by trying to manage her periods and the other things going on in her life. She wanted to know why she was experiencing so much pain and if there was anything that could be done to help her. She had never had acupuncture before, but her mother had had success with using acupuncture to regulate her periods and wanted her to try it. I explained that by stimulating the right acupoints, we could help regulate her cycle and alleviate menstrual pain. Our goal was to regulate her period so that she felt less stressed about the onset of her period and be able to participate normally in school, music, and sports. Ella came for acupuncture for 3 months and experienced significant improvement. Her period stopped coming more than once a month and eventually settled into a regular rhythm. When it did come, she had significantly less pain, which could be addressed with one dose of ibuprofen and her flow leveled out so that it was not so heavy. With a more predictable cycle, a normal flow, and tools to manage cramps, she went back to playing sports, music and having a full teen life.