Pelvic Care Blog
Our blog is dedicated to supporting acupuncturists who specialize or hope to specialize in pelvic health. We hope you enjoy our musings and offerings.
Acupuncture for Overactive Bladder in Postmenopausal Women
If you've been treating pelvic health conditions for any length of time, you'll know that overactive bladder (OAB) is one of those issues that quietly dominates your patient caseload. Symptoms like urgency, frequency, waking multiple times a night might not make headlines, but they significantly erode quality of life for the women experiencing them. And for postmenopausal women in particular, the burden is disproportionate.
Why Pelvic Health Needs a Voice: My Conversation on Her Voice Shines
Dr. Krystal Couture joins Her Voice Shines to talk pelvic health, the care gap her clients fell into and why this work finally deserves a voice. Listen in.
the transcare your clients cannot find anywhere else
Every body has a pelvis, and every body deserves a practitioner ready to treat it. Join the Chicago Pelvic Care Practical on June 20 and 21 and receive the Pelvic Health + Transcare Webinar free this Pride month.
Featured in Voyage LA: Closing the Gap, One Acupuncturist at a Time
The interview gave me the chance to say, in one place, the thing I have spent 19 years trying to say.
Someone nominated us for Voyage LA, and I still don't know who.
I got the note that The Pelvic Acu had been chosen for a feature, and I sat with it for a minute, a little teary, because someone out there decided this work was worth pointing a light at. If that someone is reading this: thank you. You have no idea.
Vulvodynia
Vulvodynia affects approximately 7% of American women, yet many suffer for years before receiving an accurate diagnosis. This chronic vulvar pain of unknown origin, lasting at least three months, can devastate intimate relationships and severely impact quality of life. For acupuncturists treating pelvic health conditions, understanding vulvodynia and the growing evidence supporting acupuncture as an effective treatment offers hope to patients who have often exhausted conventional options.
Electroacupuncture for Post‑Prostatectomy Urinary Incontinence: What Acupuncturists Should Know
Urinary incontinence (UI) is one of the most common and distressing side effects following radical prostatectomy. For many men, leakage persists for months and significantly affects quality of life, intimacy, and emotional wellbeing. A recent randomized clinical trial published in JAMA Network Open provides compelling evidence that electroacupuncture (EA) may significantly accelerate early recovery of urinary continence after prostate surgery.
This article summarizes the study in clinically relevant language for acupuncturists and explores research methods, results, TCM interpretation, pelvic health relevance, and practical treatment takeaways.
Endometriosis Acupuncture Point Protocols
Endometriosis is marked by active endometrial tissue growing outside the uterus. Endometriosis can impact the ovaries, uterine walls, fallopian tubes, ureters, bladder, vaginal wall, rectum, colon and even abdominal scar tissue. 10% of those assigned female at birth were diagnosed by laparoscopy with endometriosis
PCOS Acupuncture Protocols
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine diseases in those assigned female at birth in menstruating years with a global prevalence of 4-12% (Chen et al., 2023). PCOS affects reproductive health, metabolism, and mental health with symptoms that include: irregular menstruation, acne, thinning hair on the scalp, hirsutism (excess facial, chest and back hair), ovulation dysfunction infertility, polycystic ovaries, insulin resistance, weight gain and pelvic pain.
MAKING MONEY AS AN ACUPUNCTURIST-LET’S GET TO THE ROOT
Have you ever felt like your acupuncture practice is full … but your income doesn’t reflect the time, energy, and expertise you pour into it? You’re not alone.
I’m thrilled to invite you to a special combined Grand Rounds on Wednesday, November 19th at 2:30pm EST, where we’ll be diving deep into this exact topic:
Making Money as an Acupuncturist: Let’s Get to the ROOT!
🎙️ New Podcast Episode: Pelvic Secrets — Unlocking the Hidden Power of Your Core
The Pelvic Act recently had the pleasure of joining Dr. Soma on her podcast Soma Says to talk about one of my favorite topics—pelvic health. Together, we dive deep into the world of the pelvic floor—a part of the body that’s often misunderstood, overlooked, or only talked about in whispers.
Acupuncture and Primary Dysmenorrhea
Primary dysmenorrhea—painful menstrual cramps without underlying pathology—is one of the most common gynecological complaints among women of reproductive age. While nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) remain the standard first-line treatment, many individuals seek alternative therapies such as acupuncture for symptom relief with fewer side effects. This literature review explores the efficacy of acupuncture in the management of primary dysmenorrhea, comparing outcomes with NSAIDs, sham acupuncture, and no treatment. While research in English is somewhat limited, three relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were reviewed for this discussion.
FIRE AND THE PELVIS-ACUPUNCTURE TODAY
We’re thrilled to share that Dr. Krystal Couture, founder of The Pelvic Acu, was recently featured in Acupuncture Today with her article “Fire and the Pelvis.” In this piece, Dr. Krystal explores a concept that is both poetic and profoundly clinical — how the element of Fire expresses itself within the pelvis. While most of us associate the fire element with the Heart and Small Intestine channels, Krystal reminds us that the pelvis holds its own unique expression of fire — one that is subtle, sustaining, and deeply connected to our essence.
OUR GLOBAL PELVIC CARE COMMUNITY IS GROWING
We’re thrilled to share that The Pelvic Acu Map has been updated! This interactive map highlights the growing network of practitioners who have completed our Pelvic Care Practical and Advanced Certificate programs—and they’re making an impact all around the world.
The Pelvic Bowl: A Window to Source
Published in The Clinician, Vol. 3 Issue 2 (Sept 2025)
We’re thrilled to share that Dr. Krystal Lynn Couture’s article, “The Pelvic Bowl: A Window to Source,” was recently published in The Clinician. This piece explores the pelvic bowl as both a biomechanical foundation and an energetic center—a place where structure, function, and spirit meet.
THE PELVIC BOWL-EP4-dR. JULEE MILLER
The Pelvic Bowl: Deep Conversations with The Pelvic Acu, Dr. Krystal Lynn Couture, DPT, LAc is a video podcast dedicated to acupuncturists bringing pelvic health to the forefront of their wellness practices. In this episode we feature Dr. Julee Miller, AP, DAcCHM, FABORM who practices in Jacksonville, Florida.
Return on investment-pelvic care for acupuncturists
I know it can feel really intense to spend $1600 on a weekend continuing education course. For many of us as acupuncturists, $1600 is going to support our family and our practice, and spending that money without a guaranteed return on investment can really push boundaries and comfort zones.
Pelvic Care Practical Live – Los Angeles, CA | April 25–26, 2026
Calling all licensed acupuncturists! Elevate your clinical practice with an intensive, hands-on workshop in Los Angeles led by Dr. Krystal Lynn Couture, PT, LAc—a pelvic PT and acupuncturist with a unique blend of holistic and Western training.
Understanding the Vaginal Microbiome: An Acupuncturist’s Perspective
At The Pelvic Acu, our mission is to empower acupuncturists to successfully and sustainably support clients with pelvic health conditions. Sustainable care means more than short-term relief—it means helping clients experience long-lasting improvements in their pelvic health across every season of life. One important piece of that work is understanding the vaginal microbiome—a complex and dynamic ecosystem that plays a key role in reproductive, urinary, and overall pelvic health.
The Pelvic Bowl: Episode 3 - with Dr. Andrea Orvieto
In Episode 3 of The Pelvic Bowl: Deep Conversations with The Pelvic Acu, host Dr. Krystal Lynn Couture, DPT, LAcsits down with Dr. Andrea Orvieto, L.Ac., DACM, FABORM, founder of SoFla Acupuncture & Wellness in Hallandale Beach, Florida. What unfolds is an inspiring and deeply personal conversation about the path to pelvic care, the integration of acupuncture with pelvic floor therapy, and the profound ways these practices change patients’ lives.