Women's Health Specialisation
Too many women are told their pain is normal, their hormones are "a bit off," or that they just need to manage their stress better. At Rainbow Medicine, we dig deeper — using 2,000 years of clinical wisdom to understand the root of your hormonal, reproductive and menstrual health.
What We Treat
Hormonal dysregulation, irregular or absent periods, insulin resistance, weight changes, androgen excess — Chinese medicine addresses the underlying Liver Qi stagnation, Kidney deficiency and Phlegm-Damp patterns that drive PCOS.
Debilitating period pain, pain with intercourse, bowel symptoms and reduced fertility. We use acupuncture and herbal medicine to promote healthy menstrual blood flow, reduce systemic inflammation and modulate immune response.
Cycles that are too long, too short, absent or unpredictable reflect a deeper pattern of hormonal imbalance. We work to regulate the menstrual cycle by addressing the root TCM pattern — whether Kidney deficiency, Liver Qi stagnation or Blood deficiency.
Period pain is common but not normal. In Chinese medicine, pain signals stagnation — of Qi, Blood or both. Targeted acupuncture and herbal formulas can significantly reduce menstrual cramping, often within 2–3 cycles.
Hot flushes, night sweats, sleep disruption, mood changes, vaginal dryness — these symptoms reflect a natural but often turbulent transition that Chinese medicine manages exceptionally well, without hormonal side effects.
Chinese medicine classifies fibroids and cysts as Phlegm-Damp or Blood Stasis accumulations. We use herbal formulas and acupuncture to improve circulation, reduce accumulation and manage associated symptoms.
Premenstrual breast tenderness, mood swings, bloating, irritability and emotional dysregulation in the luteal phase reflect Liver Qi stagnation and Blood deficiency — highly responsive to Chinese medicine.
These often-dismissed complaints are meaningful signals. Acne along the jawline, diffuse hair thinning and persistent fatigue all speak to hormonal patterns that Chinese medicine addresses at the root level.
Our Approach
Chinese medicine understands the menstrual cycle as a rhythmic expression of hormonal and energetic change across four distinct phases. Our treatment protocols align with this natural rhythm — working with your cycle rather than against it.
Focus: promoting smooth, complete shedding. Treatment supports healthy blood flow and resolves cramping. Herbs with Blood-moving properties are carefully selected to clear stagnation without depleting Qi.
Focus: nourishing Yin and Blood to support follicle development. Acupuncture and Kidney-Yin tonic herbs create the fertile foundation for ovulation, improving egg quality over successive cycles.
Focus: facilitating the smooth transition from Yin to Yang, supporting LH surge and egg release. Liver Qi must flow freely for ovulation to occur; acupuncture targets Liver meridian to promote this transition.
Focus: warming Yang and supporting progesterone function for a receptive uterine environment. Yang deficiency in this phase is a common cause of premenstrual symptoms, early period and luteal phase defect.
Dr Shen's Approach
Women's health in Western medicine is often reduced to hormone levels on a blood test — and if the numbers fall within a reference range, symptoms are dismissed. But a "normal" result does not mean you feel normal. Chinese medicine operates in the functional space between lab results and lived experience.
Through detailed pulse diagnosis across 12 positions, tongue assessment and a thorough menstrual history going back years, Dr Shen builds a picture of your constitutional pattern — the unique combination of organ system strengths and vulnerabilities that shapes how you experience each phase of your cycle.
This is not a generic women's health protocol. Each patient receives an individualised formula and acupuncture point prescription, adjusted monthly as your cycle responds and your pattern shifts.
Getting Started
Discuss your concerns with Dr Shen, understand how Chinese medicine can help and determine if we're the right fit.
90 minutes: full menstrual history, pulse & tongue diagnosis, TCM pattern identification and first treatment.
Weekly or fortnightly acupuncture sessions, tailored herbal formula, dietary and lifestyle guidance.
We track your menstrual cycle data monthly — adjusting your treatment with each phase as your pattern responds.
Most patients see meaningful change within 2–3 cycles. Complex conditions receive the extended care they need.
Patient Stories
"I had PCOS for 7 years and was told my only option was the pill indefinitely. After 4 months with Dr Shen, my cycle is regular for the first time since I was a teenager. I cannot recommend her highly enough."
"The perimenopause transition was absolutely debilitating for me — hot flushes every hour, no sleep, anxiety I'd never had before. Three months of acupuncture and herbal medicine and I feel like myself again. I wish I'd found Dr Shen sooner."
"I had endometriosis confirmed by laparoscopy and was dreading every period. Dr Shen's approach was systematic and thorough — she tracked my full cycle and adjusted my formula monthly. After 6 months, my pain has reduced by at least 80%."
Book a free 15-minute phone consultation to discuss your health concerns with Dr Christine Shen.
