What do We Know about Menopause? Easing Symptoms with Gentle Chinese Medicine

San Diego , CA - On March 23 the National Institutes of Health wrapped up a three-day conference ascertaining what is known about menopause management. While the U.S. scientific community works to develop an agreed-upon treatment protocol, practitioners of traditional Chinese or Oriental medicine have long known that each woman is distinct in her experience of hormonal changes.

That is why the Chinese diagnostic system assesses many aspects of a person's overall health rather than just treating symptoms. In the acupuncture clinic, the practitioner develops a unique treatment plan for each patient; it may include such techniques as Chinese herbs, bodywork, lifestyle/dietary recommendations and energetic exercises.

Pacific College of Oriental Medicine often treats menopausal and peri- or pre-menopausal women in its acupuncture clinic and has been quite successful in helping women deal with the full range of symptoms from hot flashes and insomnia to memory loss and fatigue.

According to Jack Miller, Licensed Acupuncturist and President of Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, "Acupuncture is especially effective for menopausal depression and mood swings, and has been shown to be effective against bone loss. Acupuncture is excellent for reducing symptoms and returning the patient's sense of controlling her own body."

New research is under way to confirm Chinese medicine's success in the treatment of menopause. A large study under way at The National Cancer Institute is comparing menopause-specific acupuncture with standard care, and Stanford Medical Center researchers are looking at acupuncture and hot flashes.

###