Acupuncture for Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) is an infection of the female reproductive organs. Transmission is via bacteria during sexual intercourse and is as a result of the infection spreading from the vagina to the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. The bacteria responsible for PID include those that cause STIs such as chlamydia and gonorrhea. This means that increased cases of reported STIs in New Zealand point to an increased risk of PID.

Symptoms of PID may not manifest until later on, and thus one may not realise that they have it. This means there is a need for awareness for those who are sexually active. 

The symptoms of PID are:

  • Pain in the lower abdomen (this is the most common symptom)
  • Fever
  • Foul-smelling vaginal discharge
  • Pain during sexual intercourse
  • Pain when urinating
  • Irregular bleeding
  • General tiredness

Some women with PID experience more severe symptoms including sharp abdominal pain, vomiting, fainting, and high fever. If left untreated, PID can be potentially life-threatening, especially if the infection spreads to the blood. Long-term consequences include infertility, ectopic pregnancies, and chronic pelvic pain.

Acupuncture for PID

Recent studies show that acupuncture may be effective in treating PID. The aim of acupuncture and TCM’s holistic approach is to improve the flow of Qi and blood through the body. Good blood flow to the pelvic region will help fight the bacteria responsible for causing PID. Acupuncture also boosts the body’s self-healing capacity and immune system, helping fight infection. Acupuncture works well in conjunction with antibiotics and other medication where necessary depending on the severity of the patient’s condition.

Research

Research shows acupuncture may be an effective treatment for pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

Two related studies similarly titled; Acupuncture for Chronic Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, (Yudan Liang et al.,2014 and Ying Cheng et al.,2018), aimed to prove the overall benefits of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic PID. The first study followed 15 patients diagnosed with the infection who received acupuncture therapy bi-weekly for 3 months. On being interviewed, different participants voiced different concerns they had, the most recurrent being pregnancy aspirations. The other concern was fear of serious gynecological complications such as ectopic pregnancies. The participants reported feeling hopeful and confident after treatment.

The second study was a systematic review protocol where a literature search was conducted electronically up to October 2018 in several databases like MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EBASE, and CNKI to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture on chronic PID. The study included clinical trials with acupuncture treatment, and outcome measure consisted of improvement rate, pain relief, recurrence rate, and side effects. The findings reported that a significant benefit is gained from the use of acupuncture.

If any of the above-mentioned symptoms occur, it would be best to see a doctor immediately before the infection spreads further. Contact Centre of Balance if you decide to try acupuncture for PID, as acupuncture may be used to treat the infection itself and the pain it causes.

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References

Liang, Y., & Gong, D. (2014). Acupuncture for chronic pelvic inflammatory disease: a qualitative study of patients’ insistence on treatment. BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 14(1), 345.

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Monica

I am originally from Hebei province in China. I hold a NZ bachelor’s degree of health and science with a major in acupuncture. I am honoured to be an acupuncturist at Centre of Balance. Helping patients to alleviate their pain brings me the greatest joy. Chinese medicine emphasises the unity of human beings and nature. During the treatment, I hope to not only relieve your pain but also help you to understand the principles behind acupuncture’s effectiveness, as well as the significant impact of diet, emotions, lifestyle habits, and living environments on disease recovery. Self-healing is an ability that our bodies are naturally endowed with.

I studied acupuncture in New Zealand and completed one and a half years of supervised clinical internship before graduating. In the early stage of my training, I mainly worked with patients experiencing neck, shoulder, and lower back pain. Under the guidance of senior clinical tutors, I gradually developed hands-on experience and confidence in treating musculoskeletal pain conditions.
As my clinical exposure expanded, I began treating a wider range of internal conditions. Alongside traditional acupuncture, I was introduced to Umbilical Acupuncture and Tungs-acupuncture Points. What interested me most about these approaches is that they often do not require needling directly at the painful area, yet can still achieve very effective results.
I was especially inspired by observing my supervisor use Umbilical Acupuncture to treat common conditions such as insomnia, menstrual irregularities, and even rheumatoid arthritis, with very positive outcomes. Another supervisor was highly skilled in Tungs-acupuncture Points and achieved excellent results in treating pain, infertility, menstrual disorders, and a variety of women’s health conditions. After completing my studies and entering clinical practice, once I observed Dr. Szenan Phua using Tungs-acupuncture points to help cancer patients relieve pain, which further strengthened my trust in this treatment method.
I later completed training in Dr. Tan Balance Acupuncture, which had a strong influence on the way I approach treatment. One of the most noticeable features of this method is how quickly patients often feel improvement, especially with pain conditions. Dr. Szenan Phua’s New Balance Acupuncture combines meridian regulation with structural adjustment and internal organ balancing, including techniques such as pulse balancing and spinal adjustment.
From my clinical experience, pain is rarely just a local issue. It often involves underlying organ weakness or structural imbalance. When these aspects are addressed together, treatment can be more thorough and longer-lasting. I also apply this approach to internal conditions, particularly in fertility and women’s health. This includes supporting natural conception, IVF preparation and embryo transfer, pregnancy support, early-pregnancy nausea, and late-pregnancy labour induction. I combine these treatments with concepts learned from a few additional fertility training, which has given me a broader and more flexible clinical perspective. This has reinforced my belief that acupuncture should be adapted to each individual rather than applied through fixed formulas.
Two other areas of study that have been very helpful in my clinical work are Tongue Diagnosis and Dr. Zhu’s Scalp Acupuncture. Although tongue diagnosis is taught in my standard Chinese medicine training, further study allowed me to deepen and refine my diagnostic skills.
My first formal training was in Li’s Tongue Diagnosis, which looks not only at organ patterns, but also at how different areas of the tongue reflect the body’s structure. This system also explores personality traits and changes during pregnancy, making it both clinically useful and engaging. I later attended online lectures on Yin’s Tongue Diagnosis and studied the related materials independently. this learning has helped me make clearer and more accurate pattern differentiation, allowing my acupuncture treatments to be more targeted. It covers a wide range of conditions, including skin disorders, oncology-related presentations, mental health patterns, and joint or limb problems. In practice, tongue observation often provides valuable insight even before a patient begins describing their symptoms.
In addition to the methods above, I regularly use local bloodletting techniques, which can be very effective for improving circulation, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. I also incorporate auricular (ear) acupressure and stimulation, which I commonly use for allergies, insomnia, headaches, stress management, and various internal conditions.
In my clinical work, I value taking the time to listen carefully to each patient and to understand their overall health, lifestyle, and concerns. Based on each individual’s condition, I also provide personalised dietary guidance and lifestyle or wellness advice to support overall health and long-term wellbeing. I commonly support patients with musculoskeletal pain, such as neck, shoulder, knee, and back pain, as well as stress-related conditions, sleep issues, migraines, digestive concerns, and women’s health and fertility-related conditions.