Remember that time you cried at a Rice Krispies commercial or the time you looked at your partner and just the sound of their breathing made your skin hot with rage?
Ok. Maybe that was just me. But if you’re a woman and you’ve experienced PMS before, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS) is classified as “a complex of symptoms (including emotional tension and fluid retention) experienced by some women in the days immediately before menstruation.” Some common symptoms include bloating, irritability, weepiness, cravings, insomnia, anxiety, headaches, breakouts and breast tenderness.
It is a widely recognized, and often joked about, condition that most people believe is just a part of being a woman and the best we can do is to just get through it.
It is a condition that we see in our practice as Acupuncturists quite often and one that I have found the most interesting. Realizing that this is a condition that can affect a lot of women’s lives in a very severe way, I started to look into effective options to manage or even cure it. One of the most effective methods I found was slightly unconventional: orgasms.
Yes, I said it. Orgasms are an effective way of managing Premenstrual Syndrome.
In Chinese Medicine, we classify PMS as a condition called Liver Qi Stagnation. The liver system stores blood and makes sure your “Qi” flows freely through your body. PMS occurs because the liver is preparing your body to shed its lining and this requires Qi and blood to move freely. When the liver is out of balance, Qi is blocked and stagnates which creates Liver Qi Stagnation. So, what we need during the time leading up to our period is to make sure Qi and blood are moving freely in the body.
When a woman has an orgasm, her uterus contracts, she gets an influx of fresh blood to the uterus and genitals, and her brain releases hormones like estrogen and oxytocin. Her muscles tense up leading up to climax and then fully release during and after climax. This contraction process disperses Qi throughout the body and the influx of oxytocin and estrogen begins to regulate her hormones. Therefore, consistent orgasms during the time leading up to your period can relieve PMS symptoms and symptoms during your period.
I am not fully immune to wanting to cry the week before my period but my PMS symptoms have drastically decreased and I’ve seen the same results with lot of my clients. I contribute much of my mental wellbeing to a consistent spiritual practice and consistent support. I have also found that orgasms prior to my period are an effective method of managing the pre-menstrual irritability or weepiness that a huge majority of women experience.
If our goal really is “holistic health” then we have so many aspects to explore within ourselves that can elevate our health and wellbeing. Sexual health really is a method of medicine and not just a category of a person.
Let’s talk! If you have any acupuncture, Chinese Medicine or sexual health related questions, I would love to hear from you. Email me at info@wellnessonwhyte.com
Written by Nicole Broadhurst
Photo by Des Iles Photography