Menopause

Contrary to popular belief, menopause is not a disease! It simply is a term to describe the ending of female menstruation. A woman is menopausal if she has not menstruated in the previous 12 months. The transition time from normal periods to none--perimenopause--is the time which seems to create the most difficulty for American women.

During perimenopause, hormone levels are in flux. The ovaries become progressively less responsive to hormones secreted by the pituitary gland, until menstruation eventually stops. While this process is occurring, however, hormone levels can vary widely, causing oftentimes unpleasant symptoms.

Symptoms of low estrogen include hot flashes; shortness of breath and palpitations; night sweats; sleep disorders, insomnia; vaginal dryness; dry hair, hair loss; anxiety; mood swings; headaches; depression; short-term memory loss; and frequent bladder infections.

Symptoms of low progesterone include headaches, low libido, anxiety, swollen breasts, moodiness, fuzzy thinking, depression, food cravings, irritability, and PMS symptoms.

Conventional medical wisdom is to restore estrogen (and sometimes progesterone) to premenopausal levels by hormone replacement therapy (HRT). It was theorized that not only would perimenopausal symptoms be alleviated, but women would also receive some protection against osteoporosis and heart disease.

Unfortunately, long-term studies are failing to show any protective heart benefit. In fact, a recent study found that women with coronary heart disease who use HRT for less than a year are at increased risk of a heart attack or other recurrent coronary event. We also know that the longer a woman receives HRT, the greater her risk of developing breast and reproductive cancers.

Fortunately, women have choices now in treating debilitating perimenopausal symptoms. Oriental medicine has been used to safely treat gynecological complaints for thousands of years.

In my practice, each patient is treated on a individual basis. One woman’s perimenopause is not the same as another’s and, therefore, needs to be treated differently. For the most part, I find that a combination of acupuncture and herbs is highly effective in treating the bothersome symptoms of perimenopause.

If you are struggling with perimenopausal symptoms or have a health condition that is causing you concern, you are welcome to call me for a free phone consultation at 858/673-1397.

Return To Articles

Rancho Bernardo Sun/ Diamond Gateway Signature
September 2001