Acupuncture & Menopause

Why is menopause treated like a disease when in fact it’s a cycle that naturally occurs with women?

Menopause is a natural, physiological cycle that takes place for women. Conventional medical treatments only address various symptoms and signs associated with menopause. Just treating symptoms and signs is only the tip of the iceberg.

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine understand that symptoms and signs are merely indications that deep within the body an imbalance exists. This 3,000 year-old healing art focuses upon correcting underlying imbalances that have occurred over the years. These imbalances, if left unchecked will result in a variety of symptoms and signs normally associated with a Western diagnosis of menopause.

Acupuncture and a woman’s natural process. Menopause signifies “a change” within a women’s life. This change occurs because a woman’s body chemistry is shifting. Chinese medicine recognizes this chemistry change as a natural process that is taking place.

Estrogen is similar to what acupuncturists call Jing Qi. Jing Qi is like a gift that is given to all of us at the time of conception by our parents. It is our battery that provides us with the basic energy to power all our life functions. When Jing Qi is in abundant supply, our ability to adapt to disease, illness, and stress is optimal.

As we age, Jing Qi energy is slowly drained from our batter. Some people drain it faster than others, and as we approach the ages between 35 – 60, Jing Qi naturally begins to decline. When Jing Qi declines, the Organ Systems within our body become unbalanced, and this leads to the various symptoms and signs: graying hair, loss of libido, weakness of knees, urinary difficulty, poor memory, backache, and fatigue.

Another cause for menopause is the slowing of the flow of Yin. The concept of Yin is like the cooling system of the body. When this cooling system declines, heat symptoms will arise, leading to night sweats, restlessness, hot flashes, mood swings, heart palpations, and insomnia.

Yet another scenario is instead of Yin slowing, Yang energy declines. Yang represents the warming and metabolizing functions of the body. When Yang is unbalanced symptoms may include water retention, cold hands and feet, weight gain, edema, indigestion, hypertension, or raised cholesterol levels.

Left untreated, a decline and imbalance of Jing, Yin or Yang will lead to the symptoms and signs that are normally associated with a western diagnosis of menopause.