What does Traditional Chinese acupuncture offer for menopausal symptoms?

Acupuncture for menopausal symptoms – Hot flushes

Traditional acupuncture has been around awhile. In fact, acupuncture is driven by a centuries old medical model that is evidenced by a collection of texts dated somewhere around 200BCE (so, yes, quite awhile). This text, the Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic), does not explicitly address menopause as it is understood in modern terms. However, the text provides a conceptual framework for understanding the aging process and the physiological changes that occur in women, which can be applied to menopause. Here's an overview (acupuncture jargon alert!):

Key Concepts Relevant to Menopause in the Huangdi Neijing

1. Kidney Essence (Jing) and Aging:

   • It can be helpful to think of Jing, or Essence, as the DNA you inherit from your parents, or your physical constitution. The Huangdi Neijing emphasizes the role of the kidneys and the vital essence (jing) in governing reproduction, growth, and aging. According to the text, a woman’s life is divided into cycles of seven years, with significant changes occurring every seven years.

   • At 49 years old (7 cycles of 7), it states that "the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel) is empty, the Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) is depleted, and the Tian Gui (heavenly water, or menstrual blood) dries up." This description aligns with menopause, where reproductive function ceases.

2. Imbalances in Yin and Yang:

   • Menopause is understood as a transition involving a decline in kidney yin (cooling, moistening aspect) and kidney yang (warming, activating aspect). This imbalance can lead to symptoms like hot flushes (excess heat due to yin deficiency), night sweats, and emotional fluctuations.

   • Deficiency of liver or spleen qi (vital energy) can also exacerbate menopausal symptoms.

What?

Modern medicine knows that your body maintains your temperature, usually around 37˚ c by homeostasis to maintain a stable internal environment.  Think of your body being part cooling system and part heating system; Yin is your cooling system and Yang the heating system. Blood is part of Yin and so a constituent of your cooling system. After 30 plus years of menstruation would it be surprising to think that your cooling system is undermined? If your body is not naturally cooling itself you are inevitably going to feel hot. This notion of feeling hot from a deficient cooling system is commonly referred to as Empty Heat (as opposed to completely overheating, Excess Heat, such as from sunstroke). Sorry to break this to you, but if you were a car, you’ve got a leaky radiator; the engine is running fine but it is not being cooled.

What does acupuncture do?

Acupuncture points have individual actions, how they affect the body. Acupuncturists use points that boost the cooling (yin) system and subdue the heating elements (yang). Other points that generally calm and settle the mind and body are frequently used.

If you would like to have a brief chat about how acupuncture can help you, give me a call on 07887 551963.