Can Acupuncture Help Control Menopause Symptoms?
Kathryn Whittaker
The treatment for migraines and other menopause symptoms is not
the same in every part of the world. Different cultures have
different medicine practices and beliefs. However, it is
interesting to note that the Traditional Chinese Medicine
(TCM), acupuncture, is becoming a popular therapeutic method in
Western culture to treat a variety of psychological and physical
conditions including menopause.
TCM views menopause as the time in a woman’s life when her body
shuts down her natural monthly reproductive cycle because she
can no longer reproduce. However, it is believed that her body
stops menses to conserve her qi (body life energy), so as she
ages she can retain all of her resources.
Unlike women in western culture, for most women in the East,
menopause is rather uneventful. It is thought the reasons for
this is because Western women lead a more fast-paced,
stress-ridden lifestyle, and tend to consume poorer diets.
Thus, as a result, women in Western culture tend to experience
far more intense menopausal symptoms than their sisters in the
East.
Despite the real causes of menopausal symptoms, the fact
remains that Traditional Chinese Medicine does not consider
menopause to be a syndrome. The thought is that women suffering
through menopause have a variety of qi problems such as
constrained liver qi and kidney yin deficiency. In other words,
their qi is imbalanced and is wreaking havoc on their mind and
body.
Thus, the goal of TCM is to uniquely treat each woman based on
her specific symptoms. This means that different techniques
aside from acupuncture may also be suggested, such as Chinese
herbs, lifestyle or dietary changes and exercises - all of
which are used to help restore balance to the body.
How does acupuncture work? Acupuncture is based on the belief
that there are approximately 2000 acupuncture points (trigger
points) throughout the body. These trigger points are linked to
one another via a group of 20 different meridians (pathways).
Meridians are responsible for conducting qi between the surface
of the body and the internal organs. Qi has a specific affect on
each point it passes through. When qi properly flows throughout
the meridians and all its points, it maintains a healthy
balance in the mind and body.
During an acupuncture treatment for menopause, an acupuncture
therapist will help a woman bring balance back to her body by
focusing treatment on the trigger points related to her
symptoms. Only some trigger points are used, and will vary
depending on the symptoms. Thus, every menopausal woman is
treated individually based on her problem.
Acupuncture is administered through the use of tiny, solid
needles that are inserted into the targeted trigger points. The
purpose of the needles is to help stimulate the meridians to
encourage qi production. This might mean needles could be
inserted into the shoulders, arms, legs or even the feet. If
inserted properly, needles shouldn’t cause pain or bleeding;
however, their may be slight discomfort or a tingling or
numbing sensation which fades fast. Treatment is often very
relaxing, and sessions usually last for 30 minutes.
Does acupuncture benefit menopause? Yes. Research has found
that most women who participated in different acupuncture
studies found relief from menopausal symptoms including:
• Hot flashes
• Insomnia
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Vaginal dryness
If you are interested in using acupuncture for alternative or
complimentary treatment to ease menopause symptoms, it is
imperative that you visit a qualified and experienced
acupuncture therapist, in order to realistically determine if
this method is an effective treatment option for you.
Remember, no two women are treated the same, and acupuncture
therapy is often long term, ongoing treatment.
About The Author: If you would like more information on the
different ways to ease
http://natural-menopause-relief-secrets.com/blog, please visit
http://www.natural-menopause-relief-secrets.com
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