Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Advice for the Layperson

In my last article on menopause, I wrote how Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) views this life transition through its cultural and societal lenses. Now we will look at how TCM treats menopause on a physical and psychological level. Since TCM views menopause as a natural life, event as opposed to a medical problem, it tends to manage it more through lifestyle changes, diet, and exercise. However, if symptoms become uncomfortable, acupuncture and Chinese herbs can be used strategically for a very safe and effective treatment.

Asian countries, similar to many people across the world, view the cessation of menses as something to celebrate rather than mourn. It marks the shift in women’s roles in the community. For many cultures, this means moving from the responsibilities of mid life to that of the grand matriarch. As elders are often revered for their wisdom this grants women a special status. Therefore, menopause is often seen in a positive light in Asia.

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Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), as well as many cultures around the world, view menopause as a sacred right of passage for women, denoting a shift in a woman’s role in the community from that of mothers and professionals, to that of the matriarch and sage femme. It is believed that the cessation of menses creates less distraction from family life, allowing women to focus on the greater needs of the community. Often the women who have made this transition, are sought out for their vision, understanding, and wisdom by the younger people in need of advice for life’s problems. They help guide and shape the future of the community and because of this, they are held in high esteem. Elderly women are viewed as a community asset.

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Many people are familiar with the idea of using Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for back pain, arthritic pain or even headaches. Fewer people know just how good TCM can be for menstrual pain – but Asian women have relied on TCM’s gentle and effective techniques for thousands of years to provide comfort!

Here we are defining menstrual pain as any pain associated with normal menses. Usually the pain is due to the endometrium not separating completely or easily and can happen for numerous reasons. Hormone and metabolic imbalances, stress, poor diet, structural issues, neuro-endocrine disorders are some of the reasons menstrual pain occurs.

The pain is often felt as a dull ache in the lower abdomen or back. For some women, it is only mild discomfort for others the pain is so intense it can keep them in bed for days. NSAIDs, pain relievers, hormones, and palliative techniques (hot water bottles, heating pads, etc) can help take the edge off the pain. However, for some women this is neither strong enough nor effective.

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Depression is a sometimes hidden, but very common mood disorder. It is estimated that 16 million Americans suffer with chronic depression. Depression casts a dark cloud over all aspects of living, robbing a person of experiencing daily joy. It can impact all aspects of life including relationships to self and others. Similar to anxiety, most people will experience some blue moods in their life due to stressful events. This is very normal. However, when blue moods persist for months and begin to negatively impact a person’s quality of life, one might be facing chronic depression. Western medicine gets mixed reviews for treating chronic depression.

For a small amount of people talk therapies can be helpful. Larger groups seem to respond to pharmaceutical interventions, however, they also come with a large amount of undesirable side effects and issues with withdrawal if medicine is ceased. It seems that we understand how the brain works with regard to mood and so this leaves few effective mainstream treatment options for those who are suffering.

There are very effective treatments for depression with natural medicines. Acupuncture has been shown to be superior to amitriptyline in comparative studies for the treatment of depression. More and more research is being done on how acupuncture affects the brain, but it is thought to boost the neurotransmitters responsible for good moods. Coupled with a proper diet, cognitive strategies, supplements, and Chinese herbs, depression can be effectively treated by Chinese medicine. For some, this approach can as effective as pharmaceutical medicines.

One thing should be said about using natural treatments for depression. They tend to be slow initially in taking effect. Unlike anxiety, it will take longer to stabilize an individual who is suffering from depression. This is on par with the Western medicine in stubborn cases, but no so for more simple cases of chronic depression. One has to weigh the benefits vs the detriments of using natural medicines over Western options. Severity, the degree to which depression impacts quality of life and certainly those with thoughts of self-harm might find a collaborative approach helpful. Initially, it would be wise to stabilize with pharmaceutical meds and then use Chinese medicine as an adjunctive therapy to support metabolism, the nervous system and brain. It is important to note that there are not one size fits all therapies for depression – one might need to explore different options if a particular approach isn’t working.

If you or a loved one is suffering from depression, contact me and together we will come up with an effective strategy that brings relief.

Anxiety is a mood disorder that plagues a great many people in the U.S. It is estimated that as much as 18% of the population have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder and that there is additional 10-15% who might be undiagnosed. Like stress or blue moods, all of us are likely to experience some anxiety for a short period during our lives. However, for some people anxiety is a crushing, daily issue that can keep them from interacting with their community. The ever-present fear stifles relationships and limits a person’s ability to tolerate any stressors. If anxiety is bad enough, it can progress to panic disorders with a racing heart, soaring blood pressure, sweating, trembling and a severe sense of impending doom.

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