How Acupuncture Can Help Menopause Symptoms
We are told that menopause is a natural progression of life but when you are having hot flashes and night sweats that interfere with your sleep and work, this gets hard to believe!
A large percentage of my patients come to my acupuncture clinic for relief of their peri-menopausal or menopausal problems, especially for hot flashes and night sweats.
Nine Facts About Menopause:
- Technically, menopause indicates the permanent end of menstruation for at least a full year.
- Perimenopause, menopausal syndrome or Climacteric indicates the transition period from a reproductive to a non-reproductive stage.
- This time of declining ovarian function takes about 2-5 years to complete.
- Age ofoccurance is usually between the ages of 48 and 55.
- TCM has described menopause as beginning at age 49.
- For centuries the median age has remained unchanged at age 51.
- It is considered premature when the woman’s age is 35 or less.
- It can occur earlier as the result of illness, trauma, or surgical removal of the uterus or ovaries or both.
- The most common complaint at this time is hot flashes!
The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine or the Huang Di Nei Jing, written 300-500 AD notes in:
Chapter 1 of the Simple Questions – In a woman “at 49 the Directing Vessel becomes deficient, the Penetrating Vessel depleted, the Heavenly Gui dries up, the fluids in the channels are exhausted, her body becomes old and she can no longer become pregnant” Thus the most important change occurring around this age is a decline of the Kidney energy and the Directing and Penetrating Vessels, together with a general drying up of fluids and Blood. This is consistent with the symptoms of menopausal problems.
Source: Obstetrics & Gynecology in Chinese Medicine by Giovanni Maciocia, 1998,p.28.
Common Menopausal Complaints:
- #1 – Hot Flashes
- Night Sweats
- Changes in Menstrual Cycle
- Headaches
- Tiredness
- Lethargy
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Nervousness
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Inability to Concentrate
- Vaginal Dryness
- Stress Incontinence
- Bone Thinning
- Dry Skin
- Weight Gain
Traditional Chinese Medicine can help with your change of life symptoms!
Acupuncture treatments begin the process of bringing your system back in balance. Herbal formulas are used to regulate the endocrine system and to relieve your symptoms. We believe in treating the root (underlying) cause of any problem.
Remember, Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM is a separate medical system from Western medicine and therefore our view of the causes and diagnoses are different than what you may be used to hearing.
TCM has been used for thousands of years to treat peri-menopausal and menopausal symptoms. My patients consistently report a marked decrease in their menopausal symptoms (especially hot flashes and night sweats), along with an improvement in mental outlook and a decrease in irritability.
Your treatment plan is based on the principle that our health is dependent on the balanced functioning of the body’s motivating energy, called Qi. Qi flows throughout the body, but is concentrated in channels or meridians beneath the skin.
The strongest feature of TCM is its ability to treat conditions for which conventional medicine has no real answer, no treatment and no relief other than those with potential unpleasant side effects.
If you want to avoid taking drugs and relying on artificial hormones to control your menopausal symptoms, you may want to consider acupuncture. In my clinic, I spend time with every patient to determine what dietary and lifestyle changes would benefit them the most.
You should expect to receive acupuncture and one or more herbal formulas to balance the hormones thus reducing or even eliminating your hot flashes and night sweats.
I also educate you on everyday things you can do on your own to start balancing your own hormones and body.
If you are interested in determining how I can help you with your hot flashes and night sweats or other menopausal related problem, please call (727) 771-7110.