IUD Insertion Pain: Can Acupuncture Help Ease Cramps?

glamour.com:

who have never given birth report experiencing moderate to severe pain from getting an IUD placed.In general, IUDs are a super reliable form of birth control, and certain kinds can prevent pregnancy for .

But there’s not a standard form of pain management for the procedure that inserts the tiny T-shaped device all the way up into the uterus—your OB/GYN will probably just tell you to pop an ibuprofen beforehand to cope with cramping.More recently, reproductive health clinics like have offered a wellness-centered option in conjunction with the IUD placement to soothe pain and calm patients: acupuncture.

But is that enough to get you through the pain? We spoke to reproductive health and traditional Chinese medicine experts to find out.IUD insertions are no joke: Your medical provider is using a long surgical instrument called a tenaculum to insert the IUD past the cervix and into the uterus.

In the cervical area, there are nerve endings from three different nerves that can be hit, potentially causing pain within the cervix and pelvic area, explains Sonia Bahlani, MD, an OB-GYN, pelvic pain specialist, and author of .