Helping Better Manage Menopause Symptoms with Acupuncture and TCM

The treatment for menopause symptoms such as migraine is different in other parts of the world. It is interesting to point out that TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and acupuncture are fast becoming the treatment of choice of a growing number of people in West for addressing a wide range of physical and psychological including menopause.

Menopause is considered by TCM practitioners as the time when a woman’ body shuts down its natural monthly reproductive cycle because she is now unable to reproduce. It is believed that the reason why her body has ceased her menstrual cycle is to conserve her life energy or qi so she can use all the energy resources for herself when she ages.

In Eastern cultures, women have an easier time going through menopause than their Western sisters who because they live in a stress-filled and fast paced life and eat less healthy foods have a very hard time coping with menopause. As a result, Western women tend to suffer from more severe symptoms of menopause than women in the East.

The fact remains that TCM does not deem menopause to be some kind of a syndrome despite the real causes of menopausal symptoms. TCM practitioners believe that women in menopause manifest a number of qi conditions like deficiency of kidney yin or constrained liver qi which means problems in their body and mind are due to an imbalance of their qi.

The aim of TCM is to treat each menopause patient in a unique way depending on the symptoms each patient manifests. This may mean exercises, modifications in their diet and lifestyle, and taking of herbal remedies. All these are meant to restore that balance of qi the woman’s body.

How does acupuncture work?

Acupuncturists believe that the body has over 2000 acupuncture points scattered throughout it. These acupoints are related to one another though a batch of 20 different meridians (energy channels). These meridians are the vessels in which qi flows and each meridian is associated with one or more organs in the body. When qi flows throughout the meridians and all its points in a smooth and normal way, it results in a healthy and balanced body and mind.

When treating menopause with acupuncture, the acupuncturist will help a woman restore the balance to her body by targeting the acupoints associated with her symptoms. Specific acupoints are used, and will depend on the symptoms that the patient exhibits. This means every sufferer is given a unique form of treatment based on her problem.

Acupuncture uses solid tiny needles that are inserted into the affected acupoints. Needles are used to stimulate the meridians to boost the production of qi. The needles can be stuck into the feet, legs, arms, or shoulders; a proper insertion of the needles wouldn’t generate pain or cause bleeding. However, a numbing or tingling sensation or a slight discomfort may be felt which immediately is transformed into a relaxing session that often lasts for half an hour.

Does acupuncture work for menopause in Miami?

Definitely! Studies have shown that most women with menopausal problems who were involved in different acupuncture studies experienced symptomatic relief with acupuncture. Some of the symptoms cured by acupuncture include:

-Vaginal dryness
-Anxiety
-Stress
-Insomnia
-Hot flashes

For those interested in using acupuncture for complimentary or alternative treatment for menopause, it is important that they avail of the services of an experienced and qualified practitioner in order for them to get the best treatment possible.

For the treatment of menopause acupuncture can be a long term treatment depending on the type and severity of symptoms that patient has.