Cultures and nationalities the world over have different ways of treating illnesses and diseases. In China, Korea and other places in the Orient acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are widely used in helping manage the symptoms of menopause.
Menopause is viewed in Traditional Chinese Medicine as the phase in a woman’s life in which her body shuts down her natural reproductive cycle in order to conserve and preserve her Qi or life energy and her remaining resources while she ages.
Asian women have an easier time coping with their menopause symptoms than women living in Western societies. This may be because western women eat an unhealthy diet and live in a more stress-filled fast paced environment that tends to worsen their menopause symptoms.
Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine believe that menopause is not a syndrome, but rather an imbalance of hormones that wreaks havoc on a woman’s body.
In acupuncture theory, the human body has over 2000 acupuncture points in the body. These points are all interconnected in a group of 20 different energy channels. Each channel conducts life energy known as Qi or Chi between the internal organs and the surface of the body. Proponents of acupuncture believe that once the channel maintains the smooth flow of life force flowing between these links, the mind and body stay healthy.
Each woman may respond to acupuncture treatment for menopausal symptoms in a different way. The practitioner will determine the kind of symptoms a woman manifests and then select the channels to be used to allay the symptoms. The channels used for treatment differ from woman to woman and will depend on the symptoms experienced and the patient’s constitution.
Acupuncture involves the use of solid thin sterilized stainless steel needles that are inserted in predetermined acupuncture points. The needle is designed to stimulate the channels in order to increase and move Chi. Acupoints on the legs, arms, feet, and shoulders are selected. When a needle is inserted the patient should feel no pain nor experience any bleeding but instead feel some numbness or tingling that is eventually replaced with a relaxing feeling. Treatment usually lasts for half an hour. As mentioned a while ago, women may respond to the treatment in different ways. Some women may experience instant improvements in their symptoms after just one or a couple of treatments while others may need to undergo several treatments before they see some results.
If you have decided to try acupuncture in Jacksonville for the treatment of your menopause symptoms, just make sure that you avail the services of a licensed acupuncturist in order to get the best treatment possible for your condition.
Does acupuncture really work in helping relieve the symptoms of menopause? Yes, it definitely and positively does. It has been proven in several studies to ameliorate anxiety, stress, vaginal dryness, insomnia, hot flashes and many other menopause symptoms.
Practice due diligence and do some research about acupuncture online or in your local library in order to better understand the treatment. Consult with your doctor to make sure that you are getting the right treatment that will help balance your hormones during your transition to menopause.