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My Acupuncture Blog

Welcome to the Period Acupuncturist blog, created to bring clarity, evidence-based guidance and compassionate support to your reproductive and hormonal health.

From my acupuncture practice here in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, I work with local women, men and couples navigating fertility concerns, menstrual symptoms, PCOS, endometriosis, pregnancy wellbeing and overall cycle balance.

The articles below are designed to help you understand your body, make informed choices and feel supported every step of the way.

Menstrual health

Your menstrual health matters. Dive into articles on cycle balance, period pain, PMS, and hormonal wellbeing. As a specialist acupuncturist in Hitchin Hertfordshire, I share supportive, science-led and holistic insights to help you understand and improve your cycle.

Timing Intercourse for Conception: Why Waiting for Ovulation Often Means Missing the Window

Timing Intercourse for Conception: Why Waiting for Ovulation Often Means Missing the Window

Timing Intercourse for Conception: Why Waiting for Ovulation Often Means Missing the Window

The fertile window is often misunderstood. As the timeline above shows, the most effective time for intercourse is before ovulation, when sperm can survive, mature and be ready to fertilise the egg. The advice most people receive is simple: have sex when you ovulate. However, conception is not about chasing the egg. It depends on preparing the reproductive tract so that sperm are already present, capable, and supported before ovulation occurs. Once the physiology is clear, t

Andrea Dewhurst

Jan 36 min read

Fertility Awareness Guide

Fertility Awareness Guide

Why Am I Ovulating But Not Getting Pregnant?

If you are ovulating regularly, tracking your cycle, and timing intercourse carefully, it can feel deeply confusing and upsetting when pregnancy still does not happen. This is one of the most common questions I hear working as a fertility acupuncturist in Hitchin and across Hertfordshire. Ovulation is essential for pregnancy, but it is not the same as fertility. Conception relies on a series of finely timed events that must all line up, cycle after cycle. When one or more of

Andrea Dewhurst

Dec 29, 20258 min read

Chronic Inflammation, a Thread Between Perimenopause, PCOS and Endometriosis?

Chronic Inflammation, a Thread Between Perimenopause, PCOS and Endometriosis?

Chronic Inflammation, a Thread Between Perimenopause, PCOS and Endometriosis?

Chronic inflammation is a subtle and insidious force that, like a rogue ember, can spark a constellation of health issues. For women in...

Menstrual health

Andrea Dewhurst

Feb 25, 20247 min read

How can I tell if my daughter is about to start her period?

How can I tell if my daughter is about to start her period?

How can I tell if my daughter is about to start her period?

Helping your teenager with their periods For as long as my daughters have followed me to the bathroom they have known that once a month I...

Menstrual health

Andrea Dewhurst

Feb 5, 202410 min read

Histamine and Your Menstrual Cycle: What You Need to Know

Histamine and Your Menstrual Cycle: What You Need to Know

Histamine and Your Menstrual Cycle: What You Need to Know

In recent years, there has been growing interest in the role of histamine in the menstrual cycle.

Menstrual health

Andrea Dewhurst

Aug 25, 20235 min read

The Role of Cortisol in Menstrual Health

The Role of Cortisol in Menstrual Health

The Role of Cortisol in Menstrual Health

Cortisol can have a number of negative effects on menstrual health including irregular periods or PMS

Andrea Dewhurst

Aug 3, 20233 min read

Second Spring: acupuncture for menopause

Second Spring: acupuncture for menopause

Second Spring: acupuncture for menopause

Today I am looking at the other end of a menstrual cycle. Menopause, or in Chinese Medicine more aptly named 'Second Spring'

Andrea Dewhurst

Oct 31, 20216 min read

Treating PMDD with acupuncture? Healing with acupuncture, nutrition, and exercise

Treating PMDD with acupuncture? Healing with acupuncture, nutrition, and exercise

Treating PMDD with acupuncture? Healing with acupuncture, nutrition, and exercise

Imagine knowing that for around two weeks of a month, you will lose yourself both mentally and physically. To know that you can probably...

Andrea Dewhurst

Jul 23, 202125 min read

Google? Where is my period?

Google? Where is my period?

Google? Where is my period?

Primary amenorrhea is when periods have not arrived by age 18. Secondary amenorrhea is when periods, which were previously present,...

Menstrual health

Andrea Dewhurst

Jun 5, 20214 min read

The Seven Year Cycle

The Seven Year Cycle

The Seven Year Cycle

In Chinese Medicine and acupuncture, women age in seven-year cycles. The caveat to this blog post is that these descriptions are not as...

Menstrual health

Andrea Dewhurst

Jan 5, 20214 min read

Acupuncture and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Acupuncture and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Acupuncture and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

What is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)? 1 in 10 people are affected by Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and yet despite this...

Menstrual health

Andrea Dewhurst

Oct 21, 20205 min read

How does a 'normal' menstrual cycle work?

How does a 'normal' menstrual cycle work?

How does a 'normal' menstrual cycle work?

This is a very brief and simple overview of the menstrual cycle and the hormones which are involved. I think it is important to...

Menstrual health

Andrea Dewhurst

Oct 21, 20202 min read

Menstruation

Menstruation

Menstruation

It took me 37 years and studying acupuncture to learn that my menstrual cycle shouldn't be: Painful Heavy with dark blood and clots Mood...

Menstrual health

Andrea Dewhurst

May 13, 20205 min read

Cystitis case study

Cystitis case study

Cystitis case study

When I first started learning about Painful Urination Syndromes. I was blown away by the patterns, their various signs and symptoms,...

Menstrual health

Andrea Dewhurst

Apr 3, 20202 min read

Let's talk about cystitis

Let's talk about cystitis

Let's talk about cystitis

Cystitis was one of the first diseases I was keen to understand from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective. I have had it (albeit...

Menstrual health

Andrea Dewhurst

Mar 19, 20202 min read

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