Scientifically, menopause is described as the cessation of a woman’s menstrual cycle. If only it were that easy.
During menopause, a woman’s estrogen levels drop, resulting in hot flashes, night sweats, hair loss, growth of facial hair, forgetfulness, irritability, depression, weight gain, loss of libido, loss of muscle tone, insomnia…..the list seems never ending. Around the clinic, our patient’s affectionately refer to it as “second puberty.”
What is a woman to do, other than suffer through this change (which can often last for years)? We recommend acupuncture! As with acupuncture in the treatment of any condition, scientific research is limited, but the studies that are out there show promise. In Chinese medical theory, menopause is caused by a depletion of the yin fluids in a woman’s body, resulting in dryness and symptoms of internal heat. Think of it like an engine slowly losing it’s lubricating oil and then overheating. Acupuncture can restore balance to the body (lubricate the engine) by utilizing points that nourish yin and blood. It can also treat menopausal symptoms by calming the mind, stopping inappropriate sweating, and aiding in restoring hormonal balance. Acupuncture cannot bring back your estrogen, but it can ease the transition through menopause and keep a patient largely symptom free.
We would love to help you make it through menopause at our Fort Myers acupuncture clinic. If it happens to be the middle of the night and your menopause induced insomnia is keeping you up, we offer online scheduling at https://www.pocapoint.com/pp/gmca. We hope to see you soon and get you through second puberty unscathed.