Acupuncture and pelvic pain.
Pelvic floor acupuncture points.
Smith et al 2008.
Studies show that acupuncture is at least as good as conventional care for problems like prostatitis or chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
Conventional therapy is very helpful for many people but acupuncture is also helpful too.
Pelvic floor dysfunction and in particular pelvic pain represents as much a dilemma for tcm acupuncture as it does for western medicine.
This is supported by the british medical acupuncture society bmas who suggest that the concept of forbidden points in pregnancy is not backed by reliable data cummings et al 2004.
Acupuncture points are well demarcated areas along the meridians which unblocks the flow of qi with the insertion of needle.
The same way acupuncture needles help calm over used shortened and tight muscles in the shoulder it relieves pelvic muscle pain.
Acupuncture can be used for both a weak and tight pelvic floor to promote relaxation of the tissue or to facilitate muscle recruitment.
It can also be used to reduce scar tissue in the abdominal and pelvic area.
The pelvic floor refers to a group of muscles that attach to the front back and sides of the pelvic bone and sacrum.
Systematic reviews have indicated that acupuncture is safe and can be effective for both lbp and pelvic girdle pain pgp during pregnancy pennick et al 2008.
Selection of the points is based on differential diagnosis using observation of the tongue pulse.
From a symptomatic point of view problems such as incontinence ibs vulvodynia cystitis pelvic and genital pain urinary or bowel burning frequency or retention constipation and diarrhea are routine ailments treated by acupuncturists.
How does acupuncture help pelvic floor pain.
There are also various acupuncture channels and points that can help calm and dissipate pudendal nerve pain.
Similarly weak and inactive muscles can.
Indeed every medical condition mentioned in this book can cause pelvic dysfunction in male and females acupuncture does have a role in the treatment of these patients.
Acupuncture can affect pelvic floor dysfunction in three distinct ways all of which can be part of a single treatment session.
Precise diagnoses are difficult to differentiate.
Just as with bladder problems acupuncture can help with inflammation around the pelvic floor and sex organs.
Acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely thin needles into specific points on the body.
