Period pain

Almost every woman suffers from menstrual pain (dysmenorrhoea) at times or regularly. To alleviate this, many resort to painkillers. Thanks to its holistic approach, the complementary therapeutic method Shiatsu can relieve tension in the abdomen and help women to find strategies to experience the menstrual cycle more easily.

Menstrual pain or an irregular menstrual cycle are, from the point of view of Shiatsu therapy, a sign that there is an imbalance in the body. In today’s often packed everyday life, the menstrual cycle is given less and less space, and menstruation is often perceived as annoying. There is often a lack of time to listen to your own body and, for example, to allow yourself some rest during the first days of menstruation. Unfavorable nutrition, constant pressure to perform and too little exercise can contribute to the cycle getting out of balance. As a result, so-called Ki stagnation often occurs, which can trigger severe menstrual pain, among other things.

Menstrual pain is caused by the body’s own messenger substances, the so-called prostaglandins, which are produced in the lining of the uterus, among other things. They cause the uterine muscles to contract during menstruation and the mucous membrane to be shed. As a result, the tissue of the uterus is less supplied with blood and is therefore less well supplied with oxygen. This in turn can activate the pain receptors and lead to cramping abdominal pain and back pain, which can be accompanied by other symptoms such as tiredness, headaches, mood swings or nausea.

A young theater teacher (25) has experienced menstruation as very painful since it first started. During the first two days of her menstrual period, she suffers from severe pain in her abdomen and legs. She describes the pain as stabbing. She says they felt like she was being stabbed in the abdomen with a knife. On a scale of 1 to 10, she rates the intensity of the pain at 10. In addition to the physical symptoms, she has strong mood swings before her period starts and is very thin-skinned. Even before and during her menstruation, it often happens that she cannot work due to physical and mental impairments. She does not experience pain relief during her period when sitting, standing or lying down. The only things that bring her relief are painkillers and a warm bed bottle. The situation, which recurs month after month, is increasingly stressful and affects their quality of life. At the same time, she resists taking painkillers frequently. Then she gets to know the complementary therapeutic method Shiatsu.

During the first three months, the Shiatsu therapist treats the young woman at weekly intervals. In order to stimulate the body’s own processes and relieve tension, she stimulates important zones in the abdomen as well as in the area of the legs and feet of the client. This stimulates the energy (Ki) and blood flow again. The young woman can relax very well during the Shiatsu and find herself in the weekly sessions. In the accompanying conversation, the topics of “being a woman”, dealing with one’s own body and one’s own needs are discussed. In addition, the therapist and the young educator are looking for ways that will allow her to pause and calm down during the menstrual days. In the course of the treatments, the client begins to adapt her behavior and to take better care of herself. She formulates her needs more clearly and fulfills one or the other wish. During the second half of the cycle, she changes her eating habits and eats more warm foods, such as soups. In addition, she stimulates the free flow of Ki with simple physical exercises. During the period and in the first few days after, she is more concerned about her everyday life. She adapts her appointment calendar to the situation, keeps fewer appointments and doses her sporting activities.

After four menstrual cycles, accompanied by Shiatsu therapy, she draws a positive balance. The pains in the abdomen and in the legs have greatly decreased. She rates the pain as between 4 and 6 on a scale of 1 to 10. She finds the change in her state of mind particularly valuable. Her emotional stability just before the menstrual period has greatly improved, allowing her to be more conscious of her menstrual cycle and deal with it better.