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!