Acupuncture and Menopause

Menopause is a time of transition and change in a woman's body. For some, it is a peaceful passage, with few symptoms or worries. For others, it may be an entirely different journey. Many women experience symptoms that are dif?cult to deal with during menopause, which may last a few months to several years. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and are brought on as the body adapts to a decrease in the amount of estrogen.

Such symptoms may be: • Hot ?ushes • Mood changes, such as irritability or sadness • Insomnia • Memory loss • Headaches • Palpitations Menopause is a normal physiological process that all women enter into, and Traditional Chinese Medicine is a natural way to help with the transition. Acupuncture practitioners believe that to treat symptoms associated with menopause, we need to treat the cause of the body’s energy imbalance.

Using techniques such as taking the pulse, looking at the tongue, and interviewing the patient help us treat according to each individual diagnosis. By inserting needles at acupuncture points according to this diagnosis, we treat the reason the symptoms are occurring instead of masking them. We call this treating the "root" of the disease, instead of the "branch," which are the symptoms the patient is experiencing.

Acupuncture treatments for menopause related symptoms will involve weekly treatments, and patients will often be prescribed herbal remedies to be taken in conjunction with the acupuncture. Traditional Chinese medicine can make a big difference when trying to cope with the symptoms of menopause. I recommend you talk to a practitioner as soon as you feel these symptoms occurring. We can help make this life change better than expected!

Acupuncture and Menopause

acupuncture needles by howaye

An article in the New York Times titled "Natural Remedies for Hot Flashes" discusses the use of progesterone creams for symptoms stemming from menopause. Hot flashes, weight gain, memory loss, fatigue, and irritability are often associated when women begin menopause.For some, these symptoms are manageable, but others will need more care, and more women are turning to alternatives. The article states:

"Gynecologists estimate that a third of women seeking treatment for menopausal symptoms are on conventional prescription hormones. Another third are on prescription bio-identical therapy. (Bio-identical hormones are synthesized compounds that mimic the molecular structure of human hormones and are derived from plants). The remaining third either tough it out, are not bothered by symptoms or are searching for over-the-counter therapies, including natural supplements and topical creams. They may try, for example, a supplement of phytoestrogens derived from soy and red clover, a low-dose progesterone cream, or swear by black cohosh capsules."

While these therapies do help with symptoms, Chinese medicine practitioners believe that in order to treat these symptoms, we need to treat the root cause of the body's imbalance. Using diagnostic techniques (such as checking the pulse, looking at the tongue, and interviewing the patient), help us treat according to individual patient diagnosis. By using acupuncture points according to this diagnosis, we treat the reason the symptoms are occurring instead of masking them.

Acupuncture treatments for menopause related symptoms will involve weekly treatments for 4-6 weeks, and patients will often be prescribed herbal remedies (also according to diagnosis). There are often Western herbs that practitioners use in the herbal formulas, and it is important to tell your practitioner if you are using an estrogen patch, progesterone creams, or any other remedies prescribed by an MD or self-prescribed.