36-year-old Paula had been suffering from severe period pain for three years. It all started after a miscarriage which happened when she was 9 weeks pregnant. Her menstrual cycles were fairly regular, but the blood was dark and clotty. An excruciating pain in her lower abdomen and back would start a week before and last until a week after the period. Her ribs could ache as well. The pain made her feel sick and lethargic. She had not been able to conceive again since the miscarriage, although she didn't have problems with her first child. After long time suffering, four months ago, she was sent to see the consultant and given the diagnosis of endometriosis. Because the pain was still unmanageable, she took a friend's advice and came to see me. I chose some points in her back and legs and did acupuncture. The third session was in the week before her period, she wasn't getting the pain which normally would have started. When she came for the fourth session, she said her period had finished without any pain, and the blood was less dark and clotty this time. She was so amazed and just couldn't believe it. The following session was two weeks later and she was still fine. Then we reduced the treatment to every other week and focused more on fertility.
