Chinese Medicine Helps Menopause: Menopausal Symptom Relief With Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine

While menopause is a natural process, many women experience a variety of symptoms which interfere with daily life. Those women may benefit from a Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine formula designed for their individual situation, eliminating the need to assess the risks and side effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) drugs.

Symptoms of Menopause

Night sweats and hot flashes can be disruptive for women. Sleep disturbance and profuse sweating requiring changes of clothing do not make for a restful night.

Insomnia may be related to night sweats but may occur on its own. A racing pulse and anxiety may accompany menopausal insomnia. Ongoing fatigue from disturbed sleep patterns is often the biggest reason for seeking relief from menopausal symptoms. Depression may also be an issue for the menopausal woman as hormonal fluctuations affect mood.

Yin Deficiency Fire is one way in which menopause symptoms manifest in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Blood Deficiency or Liver Fire Ascending are other TCM patterns that are commonly seen in menopausal women. Each of these requires a slightly different herbal formula for best relief.

Diet and Lifestyle Changes Can Help

There is a great deal of information available regarding dietary factors such as spicy foods, caffeine and alcohol each of which can intensify the symptoms of menopause. Getting enough dietary calcium in readily absorbable form is important at this time as declining estrogen levels result in poorer calcium absorption. Exercise and over the counter herbal supplements may be the only menopause remedies needed by some women.

Traditional Chinese Herbal Remedies for Menopausal Symptoms

One Chinese herb that is commonly used in treatment of symptoms of menopause is dong quai. This is a Blood Invigorating and Tonifying herb, which makes sense in that women will tend to be Blood Deficient from many years of monthly menses. Blood Stagnation may have occurred as a result of injury or even a difficult childbirth.

But dong quai is not the right Chinese herb for every woman. Dong quai alone may not be enough in cases where the menopausal symptoms are more severe. The good news is that there are over 4000 herbs used in Chinese herbal medicine so there is bound to be a combination that will be right for each woman.

A Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner will be able to design a formula to treat more severe menopausal symptomswithout having to resort to hormone replacement therapy with its potential risks and side effects.. This is especially true for those that don't respond to simple diet and lifestyle changes combined with over the counter herbal supplements

The copyright of the article Chinese Medicine Helps Menopause in Chinese Medicine is owned by Dawn M. Smith. Permission to republish Chinese Medicine Helps Menopause in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Oct 9, 2008 6:51 PM

Guest :

I recently tried a natural herbal supplement called Tao Harmony by taoformulations.com which helped relieve some of my menapause symtons such as hot flashes and night sweats. This supplement has ingredients such as black cohosh and st. johns wart which i have read help. I highly recommend it. It is working for me better then other supplements I have tried.

Tanya

Oct 14, 2008 5:41 AM

Dawn M. Smith :

I am pleased that you have found a formula that works for you. For some black cohosh (Cimicifugae foetida) or Sheng Ma is helpful in reducing menopausal symptoms. Others may not find it as effective.
And a reminder any women taking supplements for menopause, be sure that your doctor knows you are on a Chinese herbal medicine, especially if any surgical procedures are planned.

Feb 10, 2009 6:50 PM

Guest :

I am really needing help. I had a total hysterectomy about a year and a half ago. I had uterine cancer, but no need for chemo as it was 11% superificial. I don't get hot flashes much, but am always so fatigued and depressed and I don't want to do anything anymore...it takes effort to do dishes! The docs don't want me to take hormone replacement or soy products. I tried St. John's wart years ago and didn't like it. Awhile back a doc had me try Paxil and I had a reaction. I am hoping that I can find herbs and/or food that can help me. Thank you.

Feb 11, 2009 5:23 AM

Dawn M. Smith :

Because you have tried several remedies and had little success the ideal thing to do would be to see a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner for your menopause symptoms. If that is not possible, spend some time looking at ingredients in various menopause formulas. Given the cancer history it would be wise to avoid soy isoflavones and you already know that St John's Wort is not right for you. This means that Tao Harmony would not be right for you.
Black cohosh, astragalus or evening primrose oil may be of use. Many westerners find ginseng too rich but with your severe fatigue it might be worth considering. Frustrating as it may be if you do not have the help of a TCM practitioner, trying various herbs (individually to start with) and seeing what your personal reaction to them is may be the safest way to go.
As I've stated above, be sure to work with your doctor on this as well.