According to a 2008 study conducted by Australian researchers and published in the journal Cochrane Library, Chinese herbal medicine appears to be more effective at relieving menstrual cramps and pain than pharmaceuticals drugs, acupuncture or heat therapy.
"All available measures of effectiveness confirmed the overall superiority of Chinese herbal medicine to placebo, no treatment, non-steroidal anti-infalmmatory drugs, oral contraceptive pills, acupuncture and heat compression," said lead researcher Xiaoshu Zhu, for the Center for Complementary Medicine Research at the University of Western Sydney.
The researchers conducted an analysis of data from 39 different randomized, controlled trials that involved a total of 3,475 women. The women in these trials were given traditional Chinese herbs including:
- Cinnamon bark (rougui)
- Chinese angelica root (danggui)
- Fennel fruit (huixiang)
- Licorice root (gancoa)
- Szechuan lovage root (chuanziong)
- Chinese motherwort (yimucao)
- Nut-grass rhizome (xiangfu)
- Red peony root (chishao)
- White peony root (baishao)
The treatments were carried out in a traditional way to regulate energy (qi) and blood, warm the body and improve liver and kidney function.
The researchers found that Chinese herbal treatments led to a significant reduction in the symptoms of menstural cramps, and the degree of pain reduction was higher that attained from other treatments.
In one study, 53 percent of women receiving Chinese herbal medicine treatment reported decreased pain, in comparison with only 26 percent of the women receiving a placebo treatment.
Up to 50 percent of women of reproductive age, and anywhere from 60 to 85 percent of teenagers will experience menstrual pain, ranging from a dull ache to debilitating pain.
The Spinal Centre's comment:
Further research supporting what Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners have known for thousands of years - this form of natural medicine does work.
Not only is Chinese Medicine hugely effective for pain symptoms caused by menstruation, but it has countless applications for other ailments - ranging from muscle pain, to cold and flu treatment and even hair loss.
The Spinal Centre stocks a range of Traditional Chinese Medicine that can be matched to your ailment. For more information, visit the Cathay Herbal product range, ask Dr. Hooper about an option for you or Contact Us.
