Many women feel nervous about this stage but the process of menopause is natural and it is not a disease. In the past, a woman was declared old when she was going through it. Today, it has become a new beginning in a woman’s life. Menopause needs to be addressed medically with a soft and gentle touch without disturbing its course.
Perimenopause:
During this stage, which occurs before menopause, a woman might experience some menstrual irregularity. The cycle might be longer or shorter; it all depends on the individual. Other symptoms might be present as well: hot flashes, insomnia, irritability, vaginal and bladder changes, decreasing fertility, loss of bone and changes in cholesterol levels.
Menopause:
Through the transition observed with perimenopause, the menstrual cycle will start to dissappear and the menopause diagnosis will be confirmed when the menses will have stopped for one year. When all medical tests results will have been produced, a woman will have different options to treat her symptoms: hormonal replacement therapy, vaginal cream, antidepressants and based on certain studies: Gabapentin. Unfortunately, these therapies increase the risk of side effects.
Acupuncture and herbal medicine are another option to treat symptoms without disrupting the course of menopause and without causing any side effects. As the condition improves, within a period of a few months, the patient will have the option to decrease her acupuncture therapy and also her herbal medicine dosage. The treatment won’t be long term and it will decrease in frequency with time.
Diet and Stress:
They have a major effect on the severity and the frequency of the symptoms. A diet, including: spicy(hot) nutrition and high proteins will increase hot flashes and night sweats. If it is modified, with an increase of 85% vegetables, and a more moderate proteins intake, symptoms won’t increase.
Smoking and alcohol are causing stress by increasing toxins and they will cause an increase of heat. Life changes, work stress and poor sleep habits will also increase the symptoms of menopause. These social factors will speed up the aging process.
In this category, acupuncture will be a great therapy, due to its calming effect on the sympathetic system. Acupuncture will provide a solution for women who have some addictions and it will reduce stress. A customized diet will also control the symptoms as well.
Conclusion:
Menopause is a natural process that can be aggravated by many factors. Side effects can occur if the therapy is too aggressive. Acupuncture and herbal medicine provide a gentle and a soft approach to protect the human body during the course of menopause.
