Menopause
Menopause, a natural and normal phase in the life of a woman, is frequently accompained by a variety of uncomfortable symptoms that can reduce her quality of life and interfere with her leading a full and active life.
Western medicine generally treats these symptoms with the use of hormones or other prescription drugs. While providing some symptomatic relief, these treatments do not address the underlying cause of the patient's complaint, nor do they hold out any prospect of securing long-term wellness and the vigorous natural health that is the right of all people to enjoy.
A number of studies have noted that the most commonly-reported symptoms of menopause (hot flashes, night sweats, etc.) are rarely reported in Asian populations. As premenstrual syndrome is virtually unheard of in the East, so, too are menopausal disorders all but unknown there.
Traditional Chinese Medicine, therefore, approaches the treatment of menopausal symptoms very differently than Western medicine. Understanding the symptoms to indicate underlying qi or blood conditions, the pracitioner seeks to address these root conditions through the combined use of acupuncture and long-tested Chinese herbal formulas. Acupuncture can provide immediate relief for the worst symptoms, and can help the patient's body return to a condition of balance. The use of Chinese herbs serves to strengthen and reinforce overall health.
Diet therapy is frequently used as a third element of a TCM treatment for menopausal symptoms, with a diet rich in certain specific phytochemicals (naturally-occuring substances found in certain foods) helping the patient on her way to full and complete relief.
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