Menopausal Symptoms Are Treatable with Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs

Why is menopause treated like a problem when it’s a naturally occurring process? Menopause is often thought of as a condition with many symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, headache/migraine, irritability, palpitations, vertigo, tinnitus, depression, insomnia, weight gain, low-back pain, hot palms and soles, constipation, breakthrough and functional uterine bleeding, bleeding gums, premature graying of hair, poor memory and lowered sex drive. However, in Chinese Medicine we know if women are well balanced, they won’t get these symptoms. Menopause only means the periods are stopped at a certain age; ideally in Chinese Medicine that is around age 49.

A woman’s body could be compared to the way a company is run. If the company is well run — with the right systems in place — everything is balanced, everyone is efficient and everyone does their job and the company is healthy. Similarly, if a woman lives a balanced life, her organ systems do what they should and her periods go smoothly with no symptoms – not even cramps, pain or irregularity. Later in life, as this woman enters menopause, it’s like when a company goes through a management change: If good systems were already in place, the change will go smoothly with no problems.

Conversely, the severity of menopausal symptoms may show how out of balance another woman may have been throughout her menstruating life. What contributes to being out of balance? When women are overworked, physically, overexerted, have poor dietary habits, an inherited weakness, sit or stand for too long or engage in excessive activities (e.g., related to sex, alcohol, drugs and late nights), this can throw our systems out of balance, causing various symptoms.

Women whose symptoms aren’t severe or uncomfortable may not need to seek treatment. For others seeking treatment, there are both Western and Eastern approaches to dealing with menopausal symptoms.

The most common traditional Western medicine approach is hormone replacement therapy (ERT). Unfortunately, although often an effective treatment, ERT can be accompanied by some scary side effects, including blood clots and stroke, increased risks of certain types of cancers, fluid retention, headaches, dizziness, skin discoloration, increased breast density (making mammogram evaluation more difficult) and skin irritation. Because of this, many women are seeking safer, effective and more natural treatments.

Menopausal symptoms also may be addressed using acupuncture and Chinese herbs. Many women seek fast relief and often acupuncture and herbs can do this. However, if a woman has had many years of imbalance or depletion, it could take time to get the root energy built up and balanced.

An acupuncturist puts together a unique treatment plan, depending on a woman’s symptoms. It’s like putting together a puzzle to help a menopausal woman get balanced using acupuncture points and herbs. Many Chinese herbal formulas treat menopausal symptoms. Meditation, Qi Gong and diet also may be used to correct the imbalances.

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