Can Acupuncture Actually Help With IUD Insertion Pain?

Tia does offer the medication misoprostol to help open the cervix to make IUD insertion easier, in particular for anyone who might have a difficult insertion for a variety of reasons, says Horwitz. But having more options to relax the body and mind before getting an IUD is one of the reasons why Tia incorporated a service that includes both acupuncture and the IUD insertion back-to-back.

How does acupuncture work before IUD insertion?

You won’t feel the needles, promise. Acupuncture is all about stimulating specific pressure points. “This tells the brain to release beta-endorphins, hormones that are our body’s natural opioids,” Horwitz explains. This can potentially reduce pain, inflammation, and cramping that might happen during the IUD insertion, and the feel-good hormones may calm anxiety before the procedure. Also, acupuncture can reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, according to Dr. Bahlani.

And it’s not just wellness culture that’s all about acupuncture: The practice has some documented medical benefits too. Licensed acupuncturist Barbara Siminovich-Blok, ND, clinical director at Ora acupuncture and welness practice in New York City, cites 2022 research suggesting that acupuncture can be helpful for pelvic pain. More-recent studies claim that acupuncture on a regular basis could be beneficial for chronic endometriosis and severe period cramps. Your acupuncture treatment can be customized to your own pain or injuries, and your acupuncture practitioner can target pressure points that are in front of the uterine area if you decide to have a treatment done before an IUD insertion, says Siminovich-Blok.

Are there any downsides to acupuncture before IUD insertion?

On the other side of things, because acupuncture is so individualized, it’s not always standardized, and every single acupuncturist does the treatment slightly differently—that makes it hard to scientifically prove that acupuncture has significant benefits before an IUD insertion, Dr. Bahlani points out. It definitely can’t hurt to try it, though. You likely wouldn’t have anything bad happen or have more pain before you get your IUD placed. It just may not be as effective for one person as it may be another in quelling the pain, she says.

Acupuncture is not meant to clear your body of all pain during your IUD placement. “It can be used as an adjunctive therapy, combined with other ways to mitigate and manage someone’s pain,” says Dr. Bahlani. Depending on the situation, adding a nerve block or muscle relaxers are valid additional options to combat cervical and pelvic pain.