Menopause & Traditional Chinese Medicine
Ms G came in presenting with Hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia and spontaneous sweating around her torso. Uncomfortable & embarrassing, she dreaded having a flush in front of clients or work colleagues because they were unpredictable.
She had heard through friends the success of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture and knew she didn’t want to use Hormone Replacement Therapy, so she came in to see our TCM practitioner.
After a detailed case history, pulse reading and tongue diagnosis the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Diagnosis was Heat in her Liver. Test results from her GP within the week confirmed her Liver needed further investigation for minor dysfunction and an official medical diagnosis.
We started treatment by using acupuncture points to cool the Liver. One week later, after her 1st session, she found the flushes reduced in frequency and intensity and her sleep improved dramatically after 6 months of suffering.
In TCM speak, the Liver can generate heat in the body as a result of being overloaded with toxins, fatty foods, foods high in preservatives/chemicals as well as stress. With Liver Heat, often the Liver regions on the tongue body will be red and the person will feel abnormally hot at random times eg. at night when lying still or having a flush for no particular reason. This was the case with Ms G.
Also during menopause, Kidney Qi(energy) is often depleted and deficient as part of the natural ageing process and change of life phase. Tonifying the Kidney energy became an important part of her treatment as well.
Chinese Herbal Medicine is another alternative working from the inside to clear heat, astringe sweat and tonify Kidney Qi to make the transition a lot smoother and more comfortable.
If you know someone suffering from Menopausal sweats, flushes or sleeplessness, contact us to get answers on how Traditional Chinese Medicine can help them.
