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Menopause refers to permanent cessation of menstruation after 1 year of complete absence of the menses.
Menopause refers to permanent cessation of menstruation after 1 year of complete absence of the menses. Perimenopause refer to 2-8 years before cessation of menstruation during which ovulation and menses become irregular as the result of natural decline in hormonal levels (Estrogen and progesterone). Elevated Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) level of over 30 mIU/L and estradiol less than 30pg/mL levels on two consecutive months is indicative of menopause.
Symptoms of menopause include:
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine the “kidney organ system,” oversees our aging process and can easily become depleted or deficient. This kidney organ system in TCM controls both the kidney yin kidney yang energy, and kidney Jing (essence), it also controls growth, development and aging. Stress and aging, poor diet and lifestyle damage the yin and the yang and deplete the Kidney Jing. These transformations result in night sweats, insomnia, brain fog, depression, and fatigue as menopause approaches. Acupuncture and Herbal medicine are used to balance the Kidney yin and yang, and ensure a smooth flow of Qi.
A systematic review which included 869 participants confirms that acupuncture improves hot flash frequency and severity, menopause-related symptoms, and quality of life (in the vasomotor domain) in women experiencing natural menopause.
A meta-analysis have shown Chinese Herbs to be effective in treating menopausal hot flashes and night sweats, the herbs have weak phytoestrogenic quality which mitigate the symptoms of hot flashes due to declining estrogen level.
Some women experience anxiety and depression during menopause, hormonal changes during menopause can cause a drop in serotonin level in brain resulting in depression during menopause, other factors such as worries about aging, personal concerns, insomnia, inadequate nutrition, memory problems can also contribute to feelings of depression.
Many women experience at least one episode of heavy vaginal bleeding(dysfunctional uterine bleeding) or “flooding” during premenopausal years which is due to hormonal changes, incidences of irregular heavy bleeding during menopausal years should be investigated to rule out gynecological cancers. In absence of cancer, herbal medicine can be used effectively in reducing/stopping dysfunctional uterine bleeding. A systematic review showed patients who utilized Chinese Herbs in combination with Western Medicine had a significant reduction in Dysfunctional Uterine bleeding.
Functional Medicine uses a combination of Botanicals and Nutraceuticals to treat menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats, vaginal dryness, reducing stress and anxiety by regulating Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal-axis (HPA axis), low libido, insomnia, heart palpations, recurrent urinary tract infections due to menopause, declining bone health, and reduced cognitive function.