Menopause and Chinese Medicine
The 3 Types of Menopause
Natural Menopause is a normal part of aging and occurs gradually as it should. It allows for the person experiencing it to adjust to the changes their body and life are going through.
Premature Menopause occurs too early and faster than expected. It can sometimes show up for people when they begin to have trouble conceiving. It can occur because of genetics and often it occurs due to a health condition such as chronic illness, autoimmune conditions or chronic stress. This can cause fear and worry to the person experiencing and makes it more difficult to adjust to it.
Artificial Menopause occurs abruptly due to a surgical or medical intervention such as hysterectomy, radiation, chemotherapy.
Menopause vs Perimenopause
Menopause is the absence of a period, spotting or vaginal bleeding for the span of twelve consecutive months.
Perimenopause or “around menopause” is the time when the body begins to make its transition to menopause. Those experiencing it can notice irregularities in their previously regular menstrual cycles as well as other changes that indicate lower progesterone levels and fluctuating estrogen levels such as hot flashes, mood changes, sleep issues and/or vaginal dryness.
What the Chinese Medicine Perspective Can Offer
Menopause itself, is NOT actually a medical condition, but it is very medicalized in the United States.
At the start of perimenopause, it is recommended to begin regular acupuncture visits if you’re seeing changes in your body such as weight gain, fatigue or changes in your menstrual cycle. The goal of treatment during perimenopause is to help the body transition more comfortably. This means making the hot flashes less dramatic by way of supporting the body’s digestion and metabolism, improving sleep and balancing hormones. Treatment is not meant to stop or delay the transition from occurring. One should not expect the total absence of night sweating or hot flashes. Instead, treatment is meant to help you mentally and emotionally transition with the changes in your body. This also allows you to re-adjust your lifestyle and behaviors. Perimenopause and menopause are natural processes of aging. Part of the challenge of menopause in the US, is the inability to accept aging, as well as the stigmas in society on what it means to be aging in a feminine body. Regular acupuncture visits often allow people to feel more comfortable in their bodies and help people transition emotionally and sometimes spiritually in times of big change.
During the start of perimenopause you can begin to notice changes in your digestion the most. You might notice that heavier, fried or sugary foods are harder on your digestive system. Some might have elevated more blood sugar levels or cholesterol levels during an annual visit. You might begin to experience more bloating, gas or acid reflux when you previously did not have those type of issues. In Chinese Medicine, this is showing a decline in your body’s transporting and transforming functions within the digestive system. Naturally, digestion and metabolism will become slower, in order to adjust for that we must not overwhelm the body with difficult to digest foods.
Another change that you might notice is your nervous system tolerance. Some people experience a stronger bout of the blues or depression before the period. Other can notice that their anxiety is more reactive or sleep becomes more difficult. This is also a sign from your body that hormones are fluctuating differently than before and it is worth discussing with your gynecologist, therapist or psychiatrist as well as your acupuncturist.
Naturally occurring menopause theoretically should not cause a lot of disruption to a person’s life. Because it is a gradual process it allows for the person to adjust to the changes. In modern society, we live busy lives. People are often expected to go-go-go and continue life as if they were in their 20’s and 30’s. We unknowingly or knowingly resist the change. This is why menopause can be thought of as a challenging time. In Chinese Medicine, this is seen as an opportunity to reinvent yourself. The time you have leading up to the pause of your menses can be used to reimagine what the gift of aging and living a longer and fuller life can mean and represent to you.
Premature and artificial menopause occur much quicker than natural menopause. They do not allow for the person experiencing it to gradually adjust which can cause a lot more disruption and distress.
Lifestyle Changes
EXERCISE Maybe your fitness routine was once about burning the most calories, lifting the most, beating personal records and running marathons. As your body becomes hotter (yin deficiency) you don’t want to burn anything! This is when your workouts become a little slower paced and intentional. Don’t continue to do something that makes your knee or ankle hurt. Faster is no longer better. Incorporate weight training or resistance exercises to strengthen your bones and muscles. It is far more important to be able to do everyday movements with balance and confidence and without pain than it is to run the NYC Marathon and beat your time previous years. Hot yoga is too hot. Save your yin fluids so you can age more comfortably.
FOOD Start to say goodbye to those heavy, high calorie, low nutrient foods like fried dumplings, doughnuts, pastries and pizza. (All of my favorite foods!) Keep these for special occasions only. Start to incorporate more whole foods, lots of veggies and fruit, nutrient dense, high fiber foods and lean protein. You can also take note of the foods that off set your digestion and foods that make you feel good and give you energy. Adjusting diet is probably the hardest task, so give yourself grace and time to make this into something you can adopt into your everyday.
RELATIONSHIPS Because you are reinventing yourself and you’re going through big change, your relationships will also shift! Take some time to think about how you want this to look in your life. Have intentional conversations with friends and family. Maybe this looks like no longer having weekend hot yoga and bottomless mimosa brunch but finding a good pilates studio and cooking and enjoying brunches and dinners with friends. Letting go of certain tasks at home and allowing another family member to fill a new role.
SELF LOVE Many menstruating people take on roles where they take care of others. This is a great time to give that care back to yourself. Pause and take stock of your accomplishments and make a new list of goals. Give yourself the most love, care and grace during this time of change will guide you down a path of ease and fulfillment. Invest in acupuncture and other wellness treatments help you feel more in tune with yourself.
Research
Avis et. al in 2016’s randomized control trial concluded that regular acupuncture treatments resulted in significantly reducing hot flashes, night sweats and improved certain quality of life measures. The participants received an average of eight regular visits and the results maintained for approximately six months.
Written by Dr. Emily Siy, DACM 2/17/25
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You might also be interested in reading: Hot Flashes, Night Sweats and Acupuncture, What Is Your Period Trying To Tell You?, 5 Reasons Vaginal Steaming Might Be Good For You
Sources
Avis, N., Coeyteaux, R. R., Isom, S., Prevette, K., Morgan, T. (2016) Acupuncture in Menopause (AIM) study: a pragmatic, randomized controlled trial Menopause: The Journal of Menopause Society 23(6):p 626-637, June