Acupuncture and Menopause

There are four stages of menopause. Pre-menopause, perimenopause, menopause and post menopause. Perimenopause is the transitional period before menopause. A woman has to have not menstruated for a full year in order to be considered menopausal. Thus, perimenopause usually consists of irregular periods and shorter cycles, a sense of chronic fatigue, or low energy experienced by the patient, sleep problems, weight gain, forgetfulness, problems focusing (due to lack of estrogen), depression and anxiety. Some women can also be completely asymptomatic.In comparison to hormone replacement therapies, acupuncture was shown to have a 36.7% decrease in vasomotor symptoms (these include hot flashes and night sweats which are the most common symptoms), and these symptoms occurred less for at least 6 months post treatment. (Avis et al, 2016) Most studies are done in 6-7 week intervals, with acupuncture done at a minimum of once per week. Acupuncture makes each transition through these four stages easier all while providing a sense of relief.