Many women suffer from premenstrual syndrome (PMS) every month, with symptoms that include headaches, bloating, and fatigue. While chiropractic care won’t affect the hormone levels that cause PMS, for some patients it provides drug-free, non-invasive relief of symptoms.
Traditional medical practitioners often recommend medications to relieve pain. For severe cases, these can include antidepressant SSRIs or the anti-anxiety drug Xanax. Because these drugs have serious side effects, they aren’t the right treatment for everyone.
Here are three areas where a chiropractor may be able to relieve PMS symptoms:
Back pain
Back pain is one of the most common PMS-related symptoms and a leading reason women seek chiropractic help for their PMS. An Australian study found that chiropractic care relieved PMS-triggered back pain and weakness during clinical trials. Additionally, a review of insurance claims made over a 4-year period found that chiropractic care worked better and was more cost effective than typical back pain treatments, such as drug therapy.
Headaches
Chiropractic care has an excellent record of relieving headaches, another common PMS complaint. Numerous studies have shown that spinal manipulations decrease the intensity and number of headaches. In fact, research suggests that chiropractic care may be more effective than drugs at treating the pain of headaches, including migraines.
Complete wellness
The body is an integrated system, so problems in one area of your body can affect overall health. When the spine is misaligned, nerves may be unable to deliver the right messages to other organs, like the uterus or ovaries. Likewise, if an organ such as the liver, which breaks down the byproducts of the reproductive system, doesn’t function properly, it can lead to conditions such as uterine fibroid tumors. A qualified chiropractor will align the spine so that your entire functions properly.
References
Boline PD, Kassak K, Bronfort G, Nelson C, Anderson AV. Spinal manipulation vs. amitriptyline for the treatment of chronic tension-type headaches: a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapeutics. 1995 Mar-Apr;18(3):148-54.
Nilsson N, Christensen HW, Hartvigsen J. The effect of spinal manipulation in the treatment of cervicogenic headache. Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapeutics. 1997 Jun;20(5):326-30.
Walsh MJ, Polus BI. The frequency of positive common spinal clinical examination findings in a sample of premenstrual syndrome sufferers. Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapeutics. 1999 May;22(4):216-20.
