Around age 49 in women menstruation stops and menopause begins. Menopause is considered to have arrived when the woman has gone a year without menstruation, but until this occurs symptoms occur such as cycle irregularities, hot flashes and irritability. This is the menopause syndrome. There is deficiency of:

• Jing of K
• Tian Gui (Heavenly Water, menstrual blood and egg)
• Chong Mai (sea of blood) / Ren Mai (conception vessel)
• Jing Xue

Yin-Yang imbalance. Jing Luo becomes unbalanced, not nourished, etc. Leads to deficiency of Kidney-Yin, Kidney-Yang or both at once, creating complex patterns in which there may be symptoms of cold and heat at the same time. Yin is the material aspect of yang and yang is the function of yin, they depend on each other. When one is insufficient, the other in the long term will also end up diminishing. This is why there can be deficiency of both yin and yang of Kidney. Although both are insufficient, there will always be one of the two that predominates, showing empty-heat or empty-cold syndromes.

As these syndromes are directly related to Kidney, a generic treatment for menopause whatever the cause could be CV-4, GV-4, BL-23, KI-3, SP-6

Yin deficiency of K

Empty-heat.

It does not root, it does not restrain yang, which rises. Produces excessive yang of L and/or injures the Ying Xue, there may be deficient Blood of H.

• See: Kidney-Yin deficiency
• If it also produces Liver-Yin deficiency the yang can flare up and produce Liver-Yang rising: insomnia, hot flashes, night or day sweating, irritability, more frequent and abundant menstruation, metrorrhagia, psycho-emotional disorders due to Heart-Shen. Tinnitus. Strange sensations in the legs, restless legs, skin with abnormal sensitivity, constipation, scanty dark urine, dryness of skin and mucous membranes. The tongue will be red with little or no coating. The pulse fine and rapid or floating and empty. Irritable, impatient. C-H-K, try to balance.

• If Heart-Kidney disharmony appears: Kidney-Yin deficiency with Heart-Fire. Hot flashes, heat in the five orifices, irritability, insomnia, anxiety. If still menstruating, the cycle may be advanced with scant, thick blood and dark red color.

Treatment

Those affected come to consultation generally for hot flashes and sweating, problem more in the heat, the Yang. Du Mai and Yang Qiao Mai to lower their heat. 2 times a week at the beginning, for four sessions. GV-14, GV-13, GV-11, GV-4. SI-3 + BL-62. BL-15 interesting action eliminates heat and balances the Shen KI-2 KI-3 KI-7, HT-6. LR-2 LR-3. If tired BL-43. No woman does not calm down with this.

Ren Mai: LU-7+ KI-6

Yang deficiency of K

Empty-Cold. The fire does not warm, does not produce the Earth, produces Spleen-Stomach deficiency. On the other hand it affects T-T of the S and produces damp-phlegm.

No hot flashes, unless combined with Kidney-Yin deficiency. Asthenia, fatigue, retention, edema, frequent pale urine, incontinence, abdominal distension, pasty stools, everything swollen. Weight gain from damp-phlegm. Mucus. Leukorrhea. May become cold-sensitive if very deficient. If still has menstruation the cycle will be delayed. She will have diarrhea when her period comes. Depressive mood, lower back pain. Pale tongue with moist coating. Deep and slow pulse

• See: Yang deficiency of K

Treatment

Moxibustion, Back-Shu points, BL-23 KI-3 etc… BL-20 BL-21 ST-36. If much dampness that makes lots of urine CV-12 CV-9 CV-3 ST-28 SP-9