We are experienced acupuncturists in Sale, south Manchester and Stockport. We can assist you with fertility, IVF, digestion, pain and more.
Acupuncture & Herbs for Perimenopause & Menopause
We recommend acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine in our Stockport and Sale practice to help women go through menopause smoothly.
What is perimenopause/menopause?
Perimenopause, or menopause transition, begins several years before menopause. It’s the time when the ovaries gradually begin to make less estrogen. It usually starts in a woman’s 40s, but can start in her 30s or even earlier.
Perimenopause lasts up until menopause, the point when the ovaries stop releasing eggs. In the last 1 to 2 years of perimenopause, this drop in estrogen speeds up. At this stage, many women have menopause symptoms.
The average length of perimenopause is 4 years, but for some women this stage may last only a few months or continue for 10 years. Perimenopause ends when a woman has gone 12 months without having her period.
Menopause is the end of a woman’s menstrual cycles. The term can describe any of the changes you go through just before or after you stop having your period, marking the end of your reproductive years.
(source: WebMed)
Main Symptoms of menopause and perimenopause
- Irregular vaginal bleeding
- Hot flashes and night sweats
- Breast tenderness
- Tiredness and fatigue
- Decreased memory
- Mood swings
- Trouble sleeping
- Lower sex drive
- Vaginal dryness and itching
- Urinary tract infection and urinary incontinence
Menopause and perimenopause from TCM perspective
Jing (Essence) is one of the most important substances in the body, and is responsible for birth, growth, development, sexuality, maturation, and aging. Jing is also the source of yin and yang. Kidney is the organ that stores jing.
As we age, kidney jing declines gradually. This gradual depletion of kidney jing is responsible for the timing and symptoms of menopause. Triggered by decreased jing, yin and yang will balance themselves given the body is in the right state (as our body is adaptive and resilient). However, many would see disharmony of yin and yang occurring due to various factors, including emotional stress, overwork, inadequate rest, irregular diet, etc.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine for menopause and perimenopause
Acupuncture has been successfully used to control hot flashes, improve sleep and alleviate stress. In the meantime, it can also rebalance yin and yang.
It is worthwhile to mention Chinese herbal medicine in particular here as it can be amazingly helpful. We always recommend individually prescribed formula in stead of ready-made pills as each woman experiences different symptoms. Taking more aspects into consideration, a tailored prescription with more than 12 herbs gives the woman a better chance of profound benefit.
So, menopause transition can be smooth if in good hands.