A simple guide to understanding your period, ovulation, and premenstrual symptoms
If we’re working together on your menstrual or reproductive health, one of the most helpful things you can do between treatments is simply get to know your own cycle.
You don’t need a complicated spreadsheet or perfect tracking.
Over the next three menstrual cycles, I’d like you to notice a few simple things: when your period comes, what your bleeding is like, when you ovulate, how you feel before your period, and whether those patterns change from month to month.
Why three cycles? One month gives us a snapshot. Looking across several cycles gives us a much better sense of what is typical for you.
1. Start With Your Period
Cycle Day 1 is the first day of your full menstrual flow, rather than light spotting beforehand.
From there, notice:
How long is your cycle?
How many days do you bleed?
Is your flow light, moderate, or heavy?
Do you notice clots?
Is there spotting before or after your period?
Keep it simple: At the end of your period, write one sentence in your phone.
“5 days of bleeding, heaviest on Day 2, a few small dime-sized clots, light pale red spotting the day before.”
That's enough.
2. Track Your Pain
Rather than simply recording “cramps,” give your menstrual pain a number from 0–10 (0 = no pain, 10 = the worst pain imaginable).
Also notice whether you needed pain medication or heat, had difficulty sleeping, or had to change your normal activities because of the pain.
For example:
“Day 1: cramps 7/10, needed Advil and a heating pad.”
This gives us much more useful information to compare from cycle to cycle.
3. Get to Know Your Ovulation
If you're trying to conceive, don't assume that you ovulate on Cycle Day 14 just because an app says so.
Instead, start learning your own signs.
You may notice your cervical mucus becoming wetter, clearer, or more slippery as you approach ovulation. You can also use LH strips to identify your LH surge and record the day you receive your positive result.
You don't need to track everything. For many patients, combining LH strips with cervical mucus observations provides valuable information about their fertile window.
*An LH surge typically occurs before ovulation, but a positive LH test does not confirm that an egg has been released. If you're experiencing irregular cycles, PMOS (formerly PCOS), or difficulty identifying ovulation, additional monitoring, such as basal body temperature (BBT), mid-luteal progesterone testing, or ultrasound, may help clarify your ovulation patterns.
4. Pay Attention to What Happens BEFORE Your Period
Your cycle isn't only about bleeding and ovulation. Notice what happens during the days leading up to your next period.
You might experience:
mood changes or irritability
breast tenderness
bloating
headaches
changes in sleep
fatigue
cravings
pelvic discomfort
The most useful detail is often when these symptoms begin.
Instead of recording only “PMS,” try:
“Breast tenderness started about 6 days before my period.”
or
“Mood changes started a few days after my positive LH test and improved once my period began.”
Over several cycles, we may start to see a pattern.
Think of the 3 Cycles Like This
1st Cycle: Observe
Don't worry about interpreting anything yet. Simply learn your baseline.
2nd Cycle: Compare
Do you notice anything repeating? Did you ovulate around a similar time? Did spotting happen again? Did the same symptoms appear before your period?
3rd Cycle: Look at the Bigger Picture
Now we have more than one month's snapshot. We can look at what has remained consistent, what has changed, and whether there is anything that may be worth discussing or investigating further.
*You don't need to wait three cycles to seek answers. If you're experiencing absent or highly irregular periods, unusually heavy bleeding, or significant menstrual pain, these symptoms deserve timely attention.
How I Use This Information in Your Acupuncture Treatments
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we don't look at one menstrual symptom in isolation.
Your cycle is considered alongside your sleep, digestion, energy, stress, temperature, pain, and other physical and emotional symptoms.
Your treatment can also change depending on where you are in your cycle, including menstruation, the follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase.
If you're trying to conceive naturally or undergoing IUI or IVF, we can also coordinate your acupuncture treatments with your fertility cycle when appropriate.
These observations help me identify meaningful patterns, refine your individualized TCM treatment plan, and coordinate care with your reproductive health goals. They also provide valuable information to share with your fertility clinic or other healthcare providers.
Save This: Your Monthly Cycle Check-In
You can screenshot this section and use it once each cycle.
Period
□ Cycle Day 1 (date):
□ Cycle length:
□ Number of bleeding days:
□ Light / moderate / heavy flow:
□ Clots or spotting:
□ Pain: ___ /10
Ovulation
□ Positive LH test: Cycle Day ___
□ Cervical mucus changes
□ Other ovulation signs (mild pelvic twinges, cramping, spotting, etc.)
Before Your Next Period
□ PMS symptoms
□ When did they begin?
□ Changes in sleep, energy, mood, or digestion
Overall
□ Anything noticeably different from your usual cycle?
One Last Friendly Reminder
You don't need to track perfectly.
This isn't homework, and you don't need to analyze every symptom. Even a few observations each month can help us identify patterns that are surprisingly difficult to remember several weeks later.
Bring your notes with you to your appointments, and we can look at the patterns together.
Curious why I often recommend looking at three menstrual cycles when preparing for conception? Read my guide to why starting fertility acupuncture three months before TTC can be valuable.
Looking for personalized fertility acupuncture in Kitchener-Waterloo?
Whether you’re trying to conceive naturally or looking for support with your menstrual health, I’d love to connect and explore how acupuncture may fit into your fertility and cycle care.
About the Author
Jaynee Kim, R.TCMP, R.Ac, is a Registered TCM Practitioner and Registered Acupuncturist with a clinical focus on fertility, reproductive health, IUI/IVF support, and pregnancy care in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario.
This article is for educational purposes and does not replace individualized medical advice or fertility investigations.
