Photo Credit: Megan Lewis
Today I want to talk to you about a topic that gets lots of attention, but often makes millions of women feel hopeless: painful periods. It seems that we’ve come to expect that all women struggle with painful periods, with no solution in sight. I want to tell you that they are NOT the norm and you absolutely do NOT have to live with them any longer! You know how I know?
I help patients resolve this problem all the time.
Here are a few items that we address in regards to painful periods:
The Connection Between Stress and Liver Function
Did you know that your liver processes estrogen? Most people don’t. If your liver is struggling to maintain normal function due to stress from diet, emotions, etc., you might have a more painful period. With patients we look at different stressors that might impact the liver. This includes diet adjustments, mental/emotional work to address the root cause of emotions and removing any physical blocks to healing through doing adjustments and muscle balance.
2. Hydration is a really big deal.
This is pretty straight forward and simple. If you do not drink enough water, and most people don’t, you will have more painful periods. If your smooth muscle (which your uterus is made up of) is dehydrated, it will have a tendency to spasm more.
3. Inflammation
We address any and every avenue that might be causing increased inflammation in your body; any mental/emotional, chemical (think foods) or physical stressors. You know why your anti-inflammatory medications work so well for your periods? Yes, they cut down the inflammation. However, there are always drawbacks like stress on your liver and kidney. It's vital to address these things naturally.
4.Gut Health
It seems like gut health touches all aspects of our health, doesn’t it? It's true. By stabilizing and ensuring that your gut is properly functioning, you can naturally address painful periods. For example, if you're chronically constipated, you are holding onto too many toxins. These disturb hormone balance, cause inflammation and result in painful periods. To read more about how to naturally balance your gut health read my blog post here.
5. Spinal Alignment
Did you know that the nervous system, which is protected by the joints of your spine, helps to control the function of every organ system in the body? That’s right! If your spine isn’t moving your internal organ function suffers. We always address the spine, and specifically the pelvis, to ensure that all of the reproductive organs receive healthy input.
6. Vitamins
Most of the patients when they first come in with this complaint need some form of natural anti-inflammatory support whether that’s for the gut, for hormone balance, for adrenal support etc. In my office, I muscle test to make sure we are supporting the proper system that’s stressed out. It's imperative to give just the right supplement at the right time. Giving everyone the same supplements doesn’t work. We all have different needs and should be treated INDIVIDUALLY based upon our needs. (Click here to read my post on proper supplementation.)
These are just some of the areas that I address with patients when it comes to painful periods. I have been very successful with patients who deal with this complaint. There is NO need to continue to suffer every single month from painful periods!
So if you or someone you love struggle with these, give us a call or click the link below to schedule your appointment. There is no sense in living with them any longer!
If you are interested in further addressing this topic, please feel free to reach out and schedule an appointment. Dr. V is a Chiropractor and Functional Medicine Doctor in Elmhurst, Illinois who evaluates patients from the inside out, focusing on areas including hormone imbalance, digestive health, anxiety/depression, autoimmune disease, and many others.