Acupuncture Could Help Ease Menopausal Symptoms
What is Menopause?
Natural menopause occurs when the ovaries are unable to produce enough estrogen and progesterone (female sex hormones). Menopause marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle and is diagnosed when she has not had a menstrual period in the last 12 months.
On average, women start experiencing menopause at the age of 51, but some women can experience menopause in their 40s. Various physical and mental changes can occur around and during menopause.
Menopause Symptoms
Some common physical symptoms of menopause include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, fatigue, and night sweats. Common mental problems associated with menopause include mood swings, anxiety, and in serious cases, depression.
Menopause can also affect a woman’s sex life. Many women with menopause complain of insomnia and declining estrogen levels can contribute to weight gain.
Acupuncture: A Safe Alternative to Hormone Therapy
Women all over the world use hormone therapy to treat menopause symptoms. The treatment involves replacing the estrogen that the body does not reproduce after menopause.
Several studies conducted over the years have revealed that hormone therapy can lead to an increased risk of blood clots, strokes, heart diseases, and breast cancer.
These risks vary depending on different factors such as the patient’s age, whether estrogen is given alone or with progesterone, and the patient’s health history.
Many women with menopause turn to acupuncture to manage their symptoms. There is enough evidence to suggest that acupuncture for menopause in Santa Rosa can help reduce common menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and emotional distress.
In a study conducted in Denmark, 70 menopausal women were divided into two groups. One group received five weeks of acupuncture, while the other group did not receive acupuncture.
Almost 80 percent of the women in the group that received acupuncture reported an overall improvement in their symptoms, including sleep problems, night sweats, hot flashes, and skin and hair problems.
How Does Acupuncture for Menopause Work?
Acupuncture works by changing the way our brain reacts. When performed by a licensed acupuncturist, acupuncture is 100% safe. This ancient Chinese practice balances yin and yang in the kidney, helping reduce hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause.
Acupuncture helps alleviate backaches associated with menopause. Suppose you are grappling with debilitating back pain. In that case, your acupuncturist will insert needles at strategic points in the body to stimulate the central nervous system, causing it to release pain-relieving chemicals.
Needles placed at specific points in the body can reduce vaginal dryness by helping stimulate the release of neurochemicals that counteract hormonal imbalances. Acupuncture can also help relieve fatigue by increasing blood flow and lowering blood pressure.
Want to give acupuncture for menopause in Santa Rosa a try? Look no further than Acupuncture Mama. We use different acupuncture techniques to enhance the quality of life of our patients. Call us at (707) 303-7200 to schedule an appointment.
