Unlocking the Secrets of Puberty: 12-Year-Old Conquers Cramps, Pain, and Mood Swings, Discovers the True Magic of Her Changing Body

Cara’s mom brought her to see me when she was 12 years old. She had gotten her first period about 6 months earlier and her mother had noticed a real shift in her mood and overall happiness. Her mom had very difficult periods as a teen and was put on birth control to regulate them at age 14. She wanted to know if there were other options for her daughter. Cara’s periods were still irregular and were accompanied by cramping and feelings of sadness and irritability. She told me that she hated having her period and she felt like her body was mad at her. She wanted to know if it would always be like this for her and what she could do about it. The first thing that I did was to spend time with Cara and her mom talking about what is normal for the first stages of getting your period. They were able to ask all of their questions and together, we made a plan for Cara. I explained that by stimulating the right acupoints, we could help regulate her cycle, alleviate pain and lift her mood. She was very open to acupressure and her mother was interested in learning the acupoints so she could do them for her daughter at home. They agreed to come in for 2 acupuncture visits during the first cycle, and then one visit per cycle after that. After the first 2 treatments, her next cycle was much less painful. I saw her for one more cycle, which came 28 days later and was much less painful. Cara and her mom both said that they felt relieved by this approach to managing menstrual issues.