How Chinese Medicine Views Menopause
Menopause indicates the permanent completion of menstruation and ceasing of reproductive function. It usually occurs between the ages of 48 to 55 years and can take 6 to 12 months to confirm a diagnosis.
Menopause is not a disease but a normal physiological transition in a woman's life. Many women experience very mild or no symptoms during this time while others can experience many symptoms of varying degrees.
From a Chinese Medicine perspective, menopausal symptoms are generally due to a decline and weakening of the Kidney Essence in both Yin and Yang aspects. When Yin is more deficient it indicates that there is not enough fluid to nourish the body and too much heat, giving rise to hot symptoms such as thirst, flushes and constipation. When Yang is deficient there is an abundance of fluids and lack of warmth in the body, leading to symptoms such as swelling in the lower legs and frequent urination. It is very common in clinical practice for women to have a combination of Yin and Yang deficiency, causing them to experience any of the symptoms listed below.
Imbalances in the Liver and Spleen organs, such as Liver Yin deficiency or Spleen Blood deficiency, can also lead to women experiencing menopausal symptoms. These include:
- Hot flushes or redness in the face day and/or night
- Feeling hot followed by feeling cold
- Excessive sweating, especially with hot flushes
- Insomnia and dream-disturbed sleep
- Thirst and dry mouth
- Frequent urination during day or night
- Anxiety, restlessness, irritability, depression
- Swollen lower legs, ankle, feet
- Tiredness and headaches
- Lower back-ache
- Constipation
- Vaginal dryness or itchiness
The severity of the problems a woman experiences during menopause depends on lifestyle and dietary habits throughout her life. According to Chinese Medicine theory, one of the major causes of menopause symptoms is emotional stress, which has often built up over time before the onset of menopause. Worry, anxiety, fear and stress weaken the Kidney energy and leads to Kidney Yin/Yang deficiency. Working long hours without adequate rest and an irregular diet also leads to a deficiency in the Kidney energy.
Chinese Medicine treatment of menopausal problems involves tonifying and balancing the Kidney energy with herbs or acupuncture. When Kidney Yin is more deficient, herbs that nourish and strengthen the Yin and clear heat are given. When Kidney Yang is more deficient, herbs that tonify and warm the Yang are prescribed. Acupuncture is recommended in treating menopausal systems as it effectively tonifies the Kidney energy and helps to re-establish balance in the body. After the practitioner has established the individual causes of your menopause symptoms they can give you advice about specific diet, lifestyle and exercise choices that would best support your body.
