Menopause and the magic of acupuncture

Menopause relief thru acupuncture and herbs

I am going to do my best to shrink a lot of information about menopause and the magic of acupuncture into a (relatively) short article. I will start by answering a couple of the most common questions I am asked about acupuncture.  Then dive into TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) view on perimenopause and menopause and then more specifically on anxiety and sleep disturbance during this time.

One of the common questions I am asked is, why did I become an acupuncturist?  I have always been curious about the human body as my dad was a doctor and a cancer researcher.  This interest coupled with a desire to support people led me to some amazing labs to do research in.  First at NIH where I did some neurobiology, followed by cancer research at Georgetown, followed by basic research in immunology at an academic institution.  I was hooked on research and the complexities in human biology and systemss interaction.

When a shoulder accident caused unbearable pain and lack of function that wasn’t letting up, I looked for alternative to covering up the pain thru pain killers.   This led me to acupuncture and almost instant relief.  I had to study how this all worked and what happened to my shoulder thru acupuncture that brought such fast recovery.

The second question people ask me is how does acupuncture work. This is the billion-dollar question.  No one at the moment can use machines and labs to prove that it works.  Hopefully this will change.  Most of the theory is documented in Chinese texts and has been refined and passed down to younger generations for 2000 years.  What we do know is – acupuncture enhances self-healing, and it does it thru restoring the balance and flow of qi thru the meridians and the body heals!

There are a few beliefs that guide our work and vision in regards to menopause and the symptoms that come with it.  We believe nature/the universe has a system of energy and order.  We call this order -the balance of yin and yang and we call the energy -qi. Yin and yang are opposite energies continuously transforming into the other. For example day is yang compared to yang.  Water is yang compared to ice, but yin compared to steam.

In December we have the winter solstice marking the shortest amount of daylight of the year.  This represents an abundance of yin energy- a time to slow down, nourish the self, rest, eat warm foods, reflect, be in the dark and be okay with it.

At that same moment when the yin energy is full the opposite energy, yang energy is at its lowest. Yang energy is activating, expanding, and warming.  During this time when yin energy is most abundant and yang energy is at its lowest, a transformation begins where they start to transform.  Now the yang energy begins to grow slowly, creating more day light/more activity/more growth until the peak of yang at summer solstice, and then transformation to yin dominance starts. And the cycle continues and on.

As acupuncturists we believe that since we are part of this system, we experience this same energy and its cycles within us.

When we inhale deeply, we are activating, filling our lungs to a maximum and then exhaling- releasing, letting go.

Another example is the menstrual cycle- the beginning of the cycle is estrogen/yang dominant. Activating and creating follicles to that eventually lead to ovulation.  Many women feel more energetic at this part of their cycle. The second half is progesterone/yin dominant. The body is nourishing and protecting itself to create an environment for pregnancy. Many women feel a bit more tired and sluggish during this time.

The energy that is shifting continuously between yin and yang is called Qi.  Qi is seen as a substance in the body- like blood and lymph fluids.  We just cannot see it and measure it with instruments- yet.  Qi is broken down into several movements within the body.

Qi is within us throughout our life span.  It naturally flows from our time in the womb to birth, growth, and maturity and then declines over decades. Just like the yin and yang process we discussed.

As we enter perimenop

Example: In western medical terms- one would say estrogen is decreasing and due to a lack of this hormone symptoms of perimenopause are beginning to show.

During this transformation a lot of heat is stirring up within our bodies and rising upwards. Just like with heat in nature- heat tends to rise. Because of the heat agitating the body one may experience hot flashes-especially around the upper part of the body, night sweats, interrupted sleep, and anxiety.   My goal as an acupuncturist is to support balancing this heat with acupuncture points and herbal formulas. The points and herbs we use will help to nourish the body and balance heat.  This will help make the transformation more tolerable.

ause our qi/energy begins to transform.  Acupuncturists see this change as a transformation that will have various manifestations at different times. The yin energy is decreasing, and the yang energy is rising.  This means the ability of the body to cool and nourish itself is decreasing and the body is warming up and becoming more active, hot flashes and insomnia is the result for many women.

The wonderful part about acupuncture is that we can take treatment planning a step further and deeper because it considers you as an individual ,not only as a perimenopausal woman. We look at your history and what other symptoms are showing up. This allows us to assess what patterns you may be experiencing over time.  These patterns and symptoms may be compounding and making the transformation more difficult.

For example, are you experiencing perimenopausal symptoms and:

-Are you already in a high stress lifestyle

-Are you prone to digestive issues

-Is pain and stiffness present in your life

-Do you often feel irritable, sad or worried

-Do you naturally jump to doom and gloom or do you overthink everything

-What are your exact perimenopausal symptoms- not all experience it the same and various degrees.

The whole person can be accounted for as well the symptoms that are currently present. A good acupuncturist will create a plan and choose points and herbs that address what is happening currently and be thoughtful of what you have been working through throughout your life.

We cannot take away the transformation because it is a part of our natural cycle.  But we can make the ride less bumpy and extreme.