What your period might be trying to tell you, and how to start listening
A Personal Story to Start With
I didn’t start getting acupuncture because of my period. I went because I couldn’t get my anxiety under control. Panic attacks were running my life, and I needed something that didn’t involve another prescription.
What happened next surprised me. I knew nothing at the time about acupuncture, I was in a completely different career at the time.
Not only did I feel calmer, but my skin got better. My mood leveled out. My cycle started showing up like clockwork. I didn’t even realize how off everything had been until things actually started to work the way they should.
Fast forward a a decade or two, and something started to feel wrong again. My periods became so light they were barely there. I was tired all the time. I bruised easily. I had occasional vertigo. I knew something wasn’t right.
I told my doctor. More than once.
She wasn’t concerned. My labs looked fine. Everything was “within normal limits.”
But I knew my body, and I knew this wasn’t normal.
Like a lot of people think, acupuncturists are constantly needling themselves. I had been seeing someone in Milwaukee occasionally, but I started treating myself.
That’s when things got weirder. Immediately after I started acupuncture again my cycle changed in a way that set off alarms for me. I went back to my doctor. Still no concern. Same answer. Everything looks fine.
So I went to see a gynecologist.
And that’s when I finally got the truth.
It was atypical endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer grade zero.
Had I kept waiting, trusting those “normal” labs, I might not have found out until it was much worse.
Acupuncture didn’t just regulate my cycle. It made me pay attention. It gave me a reason to keep asking questions. And in a very real way, it pushed me to find answers that may have saved my life.
Looking back, I can see how long my body had been trying to tell me something. I just didn’t have the tools to listen.
Why Your Period Is a Vital Sign
Your menstrual cycle is not just about reproduction. It is a reflection of your overall health. It can show how well your hormones are functioning, how stable your blood sugar is, how effectively your liver is clearing toxins, and how well your body is handling stress.
When your cycle changes, whether it becomes painful, disappears, gets heavier, or comes with emotional or digestive symptoms, it is not random. Your body is giving you information. When you learn to recognize and respond to it, things start to shift.
What Your Period Might Be Trying to Say
Here are some common menstrual symptoms and what they might suggest. These are not diagnostic tools, but they can help you ask better questions and look deeper.
| Symptom | What It Could Signal |
|---|---|
| Periods that knock you out for days | High inflammation, estrogen dominance, nutrient deficiencies, endometriosis, fibroids |
| Cycles shorter than 25 or longer than 35 days | Irregular ovulation, thyroid dysfunction, PCOS, blood sugar issues, chronic stress |
| Bleeding that soaks through a pad or tampon every hour | Excess estrogen, fibroids, poor liver detox, low progesterone, clotting issues |
| Spotting between periods | Low progesterone, cervical inflammation, polyps, fibroids, ovulation spotting |
| Missing periods altogether | Hypothalamic amenorrhea, PCOS, thyroid issues, pituitary imbalance, perimenopause |
| Extreme PMS, mood crashes, or anxiety | Low progesterone, high cortisol, blood sugar swings, histamine sensitivity |
| Skin breakouts around your cycle | Androgen dominance, insulin resistance, liver or gut congestion, poor detoxification |
| Migraines or GI issues before or during your period | Estrogen shifts, liver overload, histamine response, prostaglandin excess, nervous system tension |
Why Tracking Your Cycle Matters
Most people are taught to only track when their period starts and ends. But your cycle can tell you a lot more when you pay attention to the entire month.
Tracking symptoms like mood, sleep, digestion, energy levels, breakouts, cravings, and pain can reveal patterns that often go unnoticed. These patterns can help you understand how your hormones are functioning and what areas might need support.
Using an app like Flo makes this simple. You can log both physical and emotional symptoms, not just your period. The more information you gather, the easier it becomes to connect what you are experiencing with what your body may need.
The days leading up to your period often provide the clearest signals. By tracking consistently, you create a better picture of your overall health and how your cycle fits into it.
Teens and Birth Control: What You Should Know
It is very common for teens to be prescribed birth control for things like acne, heavy bleeding, or irregular periods. But the pill just masks symptoms instead of solving the root problem.
Hormonal birth control does not regulate your cycle. It stops your natural cycle from happening.
This can lead to issues like:
- Nutrient depletion, especially magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins
- Mood changes and increased risk of depression
- Gut and immune disruptions
- Difficulty getting a natural cycle back after stopping
- A slightly increased risk of certain cancers during active use, especially when started at a younger age
This is not to say no one should ever use birth control. It is about having informed choices. In many cases, issues like acne, irregular cycles, or heavy bleeding can be addressed naturally and effectively through things like acupuncture.
Where to Start If You Feel Overwhelmed
- Track how you feel throughout your cycle
- Look for patterns in mood, digestion, energy, pain, and cravings
- Ask deeper questions about root causes
- Work with someone who looks at the whole picture
You do not need to have all the answers right now. Awareness is the first step.
Final Thoughts
Your cycle is not something to dread or dismiss. It is one of the clearest indicators your body has to show you how it is doing.
Sometimes it points to serious issues. But more often, it reflects things that are very fixable with the right support. You deserve to feel balanced and heard. You deserve answers. And you deserve care that looks beyond “everything looks fine.”
If something feels off, it probably is. You are not imagining it. And you are not alone.
Ready to get real answers about your cycle?
If your period has been giving you mixed signals, let’s figure out what it’s really trying to say. We offer integrative, root-cause care that addresses your symptoms and what’s behind them.
Located in Appleton, WI
920-460-8171
appletonacu.com
Book a consultation
You don’t have to keep guessing or just dealing with it. Let’s get you the clarity you deserve.
Pam Kososki, L.Ac.
Appleton Acupuncture & Wellness
Clinician. Integrative therapist. Someone who knows what it’s like to be dismissed and kept asking anyway.
