Today at Winchester Reiki, we’re celebrating International Women’s Day (IWD), which this year is about what we can collectively do to #BreakTheBias.
IWD sees a number of MISSIONS to help forge a gender equal world, one of which is to empower women to make informed choices about their health.
Women's health issues
The majority of clients that come to see me for a reiki treatment are women. They’re often looking to try a different treatment option than those they’ve been offered through mainstream medicine. This is particularly true for women’s health issues such as heavy menstrual bleeding and painful periods which can sometimes be caused by underlying conditions such as endometriosis, and uterine fibroids.
Let’s talk about #endometriosis for a moment - it’s a disease of the reproductive system in which tissue similar to the endometrium (the lining of the womb), grows outside the uterus - instead of inside it - in areas like the ovaries, abdomen and bowel.
This tissue thickens, breaks down and bleeds in the same way that the lining inside the uterus does every month during your period. This can cause swelling and pain because the tissue grows and bleeds in an area where it can’t exit your body.
Symptoms can include:
painful periods
heavy bleeding
pain during intercourse
painful bowel movements
infertility
As someone who has suffered with endometriosis, I know that the pain can be excruciating, particularly in areas of your body where you are really not used to experiencing pain, and where the pain is hard to relieve.
It can seriously impact your quality of life not just physically, but mentally too - particularly true for women who are struggling to conceive. Treatments offered by mainstream medicine tend to be:
pain killers
hormone therapies
surgery to remove the endometrial growths
It’s not difficult to see therefore why women suffering with the condition are researching other more natural and complementary treatment methods.
Of course complementary therapies, as the name suggests, should be used alongside any existing treatment you are receiving from a GP or healthcare practitioner – and should not replace it. And they should be used in tandem with regular exercise and a balanced diet.
Use of complementary therapies in the UK
Research shows that use of complementary therapies, which tend to be holistic in nature - treating the whole person, rather than just a set of symptoms, are used by more women than men.
Although there appears to be an upward trend in the use of complementary therapies in the UK, recent figures are hard to find. The good news however is that the Federation of Holistic Therapists is currently collecting data directly from clients and patients about the positive impact that complementary therapy is having on their health and wellbeing - “How complementary therapy has helped me”.
Using reiki to treat women's health issues
A reiki treatment can be helpful for a variety of women’s health issues, such as migraines – which can be caused by monthly hormonal fluctuations, PMT and menopausal symptoms such as insomnia and anxiety.
The energy which flows through our bodies can become low to a variety of reasons including stress, poor diet, trapped negative emotions etc. A reiki treatment induces relaxation and calmness which in turn helps boost your body's natural healing abilities, helping to release energy blockages, restore and rebalance our energy flow and promote a sense of health and wellbeing,
As insight, education, awareness and engagement in women’s health issues increases, along with an understanding of the benefits that complementary therapies can bring, we become more empowered to make informed healthcare choices that are right for us.
Wishing you a happy and healthy International Women’s Day.
Vicky x
Comments