Do your hot flashes come at the worst possible moments？
Are you having difficulty sleeping or keeping an even keel?
Menopausal transition is a disruptive period for many women.
You are not alone.
A women has entered menopause after she has not menstruated for a full year. Perimenopause, the term for this transitional period around menopause, can persist for a number of years.
The major manifestations of menopausal syndrome include:
- Irregularities of Uterine Bleeding: polymenorrhea, menorrhea, metrorrhagia, even menometrorrhagia to hypomenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, and final cessation of menses.
- Disturbance of Vasomotor & Neurological Systems: hot flush, palpitation, dizziness, headache, insomnia, difficulty concentrating, and loss of short-term memory, etc. Without taking proper measures to minimize these symptoms, the patient is at risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, and venous thrombosis.
- Psychological Symptoms: depression, anxiety and irritability, and personality changes. These symptoms may develop into psychological disorders.
- Atrophy of Tissues: atrophy of vaginal tissue and tissue inside the urethra and bladder tends to cause recurrent vaginal infections, recurrent urinary tract infections, and urinary incontinence.
- Other: lack of luster in the skin tone, increased facial wrinkles, flaccid muscles, weak ligament, osteoporosis, and increased susceptibility to osteoarthritis.
Accepting Menopause: the concept of the Golden 50
In China, the lifespan is divided into 25 year cycles. It starts with the China stage (0-25), goes to the silver stage (25-50), then to the golden stage (50-75) and back to the china stage (75-100). It is believed that in the golden age, women achieve freedom and can fully delve in creativity. Accepting menopause is the second key for golden success. Symptoms like hot flashes can be bothersome, but instead of becoming irritated, just let them come and let them go again and seek treatment to help ease their passing. Reducing the worry of physiological change leads to a women with a tough but optimistic mind.
In relation to western medicine, this is the time when progesterone production ceases and conditions related to the menstrual cycle improve, such as cramping, PMS and migraines. The androgen produced by the ovaries helps to create a strong personality, a willed and tough mind but also a clear mind, and decisions are made more easily.
Life is a cycle, and within each cycle there is neither good nor bad, merely stages between birth and death; like the changing of seasons. The golden stage is the harvest season and the best time in life.
Menopausal Relief -Managing Symptoms
Using traditional Chinese medicine to treat symptoms and syndromes is a safe and effective way of balancing the mind and body. Depending on the symptoms that are presented, different treatments are required.
In western medicine, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most common therapy used to reduce perimenopausal symptoms and prevent other age-related medical conditions. However, because of the potential health risks associated with HRT, including increased risk of breast cancer, endometrial cancer, gallbladder disease, thrombophlebitis, and hypertension, the risk of the implementation of HRT remains controversial. The use of Chinese medicine such as acupuncture and herbs has successfully dealt with perimenopausal syndrome for hundreds of years – through natural means which eliminate the health risks of using treatments like HRT. In this golden age, there are at least 25 years of brilliant shine.