This article by a mental health counselor describes the physical and emotional changes that women face when they go through menopause. Acupuncture can help provide support during this life transition.

"Sleepless nights. Sudden temperature spikes and night sweats. Fluctuating moods. Brain fog. Sudden hair loss (head). Sudden hair growth (face). Dry skin, leaky bladder, pain during intercourse."

"Menopause is part of a process. Menopause refers to a specific point 12 months after a person’s last menstrual cycle. Perimenopause, which can begin up to 10 years before menopause, is the transitional time during which most menopausal symptoms occur. Perimenopause usually begins in a person’s 40s but can start as early as a person’s mid- to late 30s."

For sleep issues, the article recommends a number of solutions, including: "Try acupuncture. This ancient Chinese remedy uses tiny needles to unblock energy points in the body and may help balance hormone levels to ease hot flashes and trigger the release of more endorphins to offset mood swings."

 "Elix, a new start-up that launches today that is the first tech-enabled hormonal health brand to personalize Chinese herbal medicine remedies that are backed by science to address women’s health issues."

"When I ask Glathe how Chinese medicine looks at and addresses women’s health issues she tells me, 'Like western medicine, the menstrual cycle is divided into 4 segments corresponding to bleeding, follicular phase, ovulation, and luteal phases. These phases are always taken into account when prescribing herbs, so we can address the specific hormonal process at that particular time. This combination of Eastern wisdom with Western science is the foundational basis for Elix as well.'"

"'Chinese medicine doctors use a technique called pattern diagnosis in addition to a diagnosis of a western-defined disease such as dysmenorrhea,' explains Glathe. 'The syndrome is determined based on the signs and symptoms displayed by the patient, their physical condition, disease status, and constitution. Only after which herbal medicine prescriptions for treatment are given. There are herbs to relieve primary symptoms, but if the root cause is not solved, those symptoms can easily recur month after month.'"

"'The tongue is the only internal organ visible without a scalpel,' explains Glathe. 'The tongue may not seem like an organ in the traditional sense, but it is 100% pure muscle, fed directly by blood and nerves, with cells that regenerate every 10 days, much like the cells lining the digestive tract. Looking at it can give us clues about what’s happening with the other organs and general internal environment.' Specifically, Chinese medicine looks at the color, moisture, shape, and strength of the tongue in order to determine the state of health."