Hormones Out of Whack? Here’s How Acupuncture Gets to the Root (Starting with Your Brain!)

Ever feel like your hormones are running the show—and not in a good way? Mood swings, fatigue, brain fog, irregular cycles, stubborn weight—when hormones go haywire, everything feels off.

But here’s the real secret to getting them back in balance: you’ve got to start at the top. Literally.

Let’s talk about your master controller—the part of your brain that calls the shots for your entire hormonal system—and how acupuncture helps reset it, naturally.

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Understanding the Hypothalamus + Pituitary

Your hypothalamus is like your internal command center. It reads what’s going on inside your body and tells the pituitary gland what to do. The pituitary then directs your other glands—like the thyroid, adrenals, and ovaries/testes—on what hormones to produce and how much.

This works on a beautiful feedback loop, like a thermostat adjusting the temperature. When hormone levels get too high or too low, signals are sent back to the brain to adjust production.

For example:

• Thyroid hormones (T3 and T4): When low, the hypothalamus releases TRH, prompting the pituitary to release TSH to stimulate thyroid hormone production. Once levels are balanced, the brain slows down the signal.

• Estrogen and progesterone: These fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle and send constant feedback to help regulate ovulation and the menstrual phases.

But when that system gets disrupted, you start feeling…off.

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3 Common Reasons Your Hormones Aren’t Listening (and What It Feels Like)

1. The Feedback Loop is Fried

When your brain isn’t reading hormone levels properly—or isn’t sending out the right signals—your entire endocrine system loses its rhythm.

Common Signs:

• Irregular or missing periods

• Infertility or trouble ovulating

• Fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest

• Cold hands/feet, low thyroid symptoms

• Feeling emotionally disconnected or foggy

TCM View: Often a sign of Kidney deficiency or Heart-Kidney miscommunication—a breakdown in internal communication.

Acupuncture Fix:

• Du 20 (Bai Hui): Clears and uplifts the mind.

• Kidney 3 (Tai Xi): Strengthens core energy for hormone production.

• Heart 7 (Shen Men): Calms the spirit and restores communication between brain and body.

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2. Your Liver Isn’t Cleaning House

Even if your body makes the right hormones, they must be processed and cleared—mostly by the liver. When your liver is overloaded, used-up hormones stay in circulation, causing a backup resulting in a cascade of symptoms.

Common Signs:

• PMS (bloating, mood swings, breast tenderness)

• Hormonal acne or skin breakouts

• Irritability, especially before your period

• Headaches or migraines tied to your cycle

• Digestive sluggishness or bloating

TCM View: Classic Liver Qi stagnation—energy isn’t flowing, causing hormonal congestion.

Acupuncture Fix:

• Liver 3 (Tai Chong): Moves Liver Qi and eases irritability.

• Large Intestine 4 (He Gu): Clears excess and supports detox.

• Liver 14 (Qi Men): Helps the liver process and release hormones efficiently.

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3. Cortisol is Hijacking Everything

Cortisol, your main stress hormone, isn’t just about stress—it’s a master disruptor. Chronic stress puts your body in survival mode, pulling resources away from hormone production and throwing your system out of whack.

Common Signs:

• Feeling wired but tired

• Trouble falling or staying asleep

• Anxiety or mood swings

• Belly weight gain that won’t budge

• Low libido or irregular cycles

• Burnout, exhaustion, or feeling “fried”

TCM View: Often shows up as Liver Qi stagnation, Heart Yin deficiency, or Spleen Qi deficiency—depleting your body’s ability to manage stress and regulate hormones.

Acupuncture Fix:

• Yin Tang (between the brows): Deeply calming; helps with anxiety and overthinking.

• Spleen 6 (San Yin Jiao): Restores balance in hormones, digestion, and sleep.

• Ren 17 (Shan Zhong): Regulates the chest and supports emotional resilience.

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So… How Does Acupuncture Actually Help?

Acupuncture works like a reset button for your nervous system. It restores communication between your brain and your body, helps your organs function more efficiently, and encourages your hormones to rebalance—without forcing or flooding your system.

Whether you’re navigating PMS, thyroid trouble, fertility challenges, perimenopause, or stress burnout, acupuncture meets you where you are—and helps your body find its way back to harmony.

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Ready to stop chasing symptoms and get to the root? Let’s work with your body—not against it—to restore hormonal balance, from the inside out.