At Nandy Acupuncture, one of our main specialties is menopause acupuncture.
Menopause typically begins between the ages of 48 to 52, but uncomfortable symptoms of peri-menopause or pre-menopause can begin as early as 40 and last until 55 years of age. This means that if a woman lives into her 80’s, she may spend a third of her life in menopause!
During menopause, there is a change in the balance of hormones (especially estrogen) which may result in:
- Hot flashes
- Depression, irritability, mood swings
- Irregular, heavy, or light menses
- Disturbed sleep patterns
- Night sweats
- Decreased sexual desire
- Vaginal dryness
- Gastrointestinal issues
Because western medicine essentially defines menopause as a lack of estrogen production, the conventional treatment prescribed for menopausal women is estrogen replacement therapy (ERT). While ERT can diminish or eliminate many of the troublesome symptoms of menopause, many women have become wary of the potential side effects of any hormone replacement therapy (HRT), including the increased risk of certain cancers. For women concerned about the side effects of HRT, or for those who wish to seek a more natural, transformative and holistic approach, Chinese medicine can provide an effective therapy without side-effects.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) emphasizes that menopause is not a disease or disorder, rather a part of the natural progress of life. Menopause is considered important as a homeostatic mechanism which slows down the aging process in women. While itself a sign of aging, menopause actually decelerates the aging process by preventing the unnecessary loss of blood and essence (or jing, the material basis for the physical body).
For Chinese women, hot flashes and night sweats are uncommon experiences and very few are prescribed hormone replacement therapy by their doctors. In fact, only 10% of Asian women experience noticeable menopausal symptoms, compared with 75% of the women in the United States. From a TCM perspective it is a combination of diet, lifestyle, acupuncture, and Chinese herbal medicine that is the determining factor in maintaining the health of Asian women through menopause.
Menopause is an opportunity to experience life from a new perspective, fostering a renewed sense of self, with an emphasis on prevention and maintaining quality of life. Acupuncture and TCM offer the opportunity to bring the body and mind back into balance naturally and holistically, eliminating or minimizing the need for conventional hormone replacement therapy. Menopause can absolutely be a time of renaissance–a time of renewal, reinvention and revitalization, with the help of Chinese medicine!
