ACUPUNCTURE FOR PERIMENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS
35+ AND STARTING TO NOTICE CHANGES THAT YOU CANNOT EXPLAIN?
IF YOU ARE NAVIGATING MOOD SHIFTS, CHANGES IN YOUR PERIOD, DISTRUPTED SLEEP, OR PHYSICAL DISCOMFORT, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. PERIMENOPAUSE IS A PROFOUND TRANSITION, AND AT VESSEL ACUPUNCTURE & CHINESE MEDICINE, WE SUPPORT YOU WITH CAMPASSIONATE, EVIDENCE-INFORMED CARE, GUIDED BY ANCIENT WISDOM.
WE PROVIDE BETTER HEALTHCARE FOR PERIMENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS WITH CHINESE MEDICINE.
Perimenopause, the transition leading to menopause, can begin as early as the mid-30s. These transitional years offer the opportunity to make changes that will positively shape your future.
Perimenopause can bring a range of challenges or symptoms that can affect your physical, emotional, and mental well-being. At Vessel, we support you through this transformative phase with Acupuncture, a practice grounded in the ancient wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and backed by modern evidence.
Understanding Perimenopause
During perimenopause, you start producing less progesterone, and estrogen fluctuates. This hormonal turbulence can lead to new symptoms like:
irregular cycles, heavier bleeds & more noticeable breast tenderness
body aches
shifts in sleep
bloating and abdominal weight gain
headaches, fatigue and brain fog.
Perimenopause is also a time of metabolic upheaval, and insulin resistance might become a new part of your health picture.
In the later phase of perimenopause (before the final bleed), estrogen begins on a downward trend, and new symptoms can creep in:
mood changes can intensify
hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia
brain fog, weight gain
changes to desire, sexual pleasure, and genito-urinary health.
Whilst these symptoms can be disruptive, you can manage them with the right healthcare team and rediscover vitality and ease through midlife and beyond.
Perimenopause is a natural process, yet symptoms can significantly impact daily life. Acupuncture offers an evidence-based, holistic, non-invasive approach to help manage these changes and bring harmony to your body.
Acupuncture can be used alongside Western medical interventions such as Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) and is safe when provided by qualified practitioners. At Vessel, we encourage informed, autonomous healthcare choices and support you alongside other interventions you choose.
From a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, menopause is influenced by the decline of Jing (essence), the foundation of life, growth, reproduction, and aging. This decline affects the body’s cooling, moistening, and nurturing aspects (Yin) and the warming, activating, and energising aspects (Yang).
At Vessel Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine, we recognise that every person’s experience of perimenopause is different, and we tailor your acupuncture treatments to meet your unique needs.
After your first appointment, you receive a comprehensive treatment plan outlining the frequency of treatments and the duration of time we expect to need to see lasting changes.
You can read more about how we approach treatment plans here.
Managing Perimenopause
Everyone’s experience of perimenopause is different. What works for one person may not work for another. It’s helpful to build a healthcare team that can tailor treatment to your specific needs and preferences. This team might be comprised of your GP, gynecologist, nutritionist or dietician, exercise physiologist or pelvic physiotherapist and a psychologist.
Your areas of focus for managing perimenopause should include:
Address Your Stress via the HPA Axis
The HPA axis plays a crucial role in stress response and hormone regulation.
Nurturing Mental Wellbeing
This is a season in life of great change, and change always provides growth opportunities. It is also a time when teenage children and elderly parents might demand your attention. Schedule adequate time for self-care and build a team around you, this may include a psychologist, counsellor or Menopause Doula.
Address Inflammation & Metabolic Health
Chronic inflammation can contribute to menopausal symptoms. Eliminating processed foods and incorporating anti-inflammatory whole foods into your diet can be helpful.
Supporting Digestion & Gut Health
A healthy gut microbiome is essential for overall well-being. Consuming fibre-rich prebiotic foods and fermented probiotic foods can promote digestive health.
Small Changes, Big Impact
A healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, a balanced diet, limited alcohol, and adequate sleep, can significantly improve menopausal symptoms and overall quality of life.
Complimentary Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture can be a useful tool to support symptoms of perimenopause, you may see a summary of research articles at Evidence Based Acupuncture.
A Natural, Holistic Approach
Perimenopause can feel overwhelming, but with support, you can move through this transition with confidence. Let us help you navigate this phase naturally with acupuncture and holistic care. Schedule your consultation today.
A Chinese Medicine Perspective on Menopause, The Second Spring
In Chinese medicine, menopause is known as the 'Second Spring'. It represents the renewal of energy and opportunities as the focus shifts from fertility and reproduction to conserving and nourishing oneself. The body no longer focuses on creating and nurturing a new life, but can instead focus that energy inwardly. Evidence shows that nurturing a positive and empowered mindset around menopause can impact how we experience the transition.
How Acupuncture Supports You Through Perimenopause
Acupuncture works by stimulating specific points in the body to restore the smooth flow of Qi (energy) and support hormonal balance. In TCM, discomfort in perimenopause is often linked to imbalances in the Yin and Yang as well as Qi stagnation and Blood deficiency. By addressing these imbalances, acupuncture can help to:
Regulate hormones: Acupuncture engages with the HPA axis, which regulates hormones. Greater hormonal balance may reduce hot flashes, night sweats, stress, depression, and anxiety.
Boost energy and improve sleep: By harmonising the body’s internal systems through various physiological mechanisms, acupuncture supports deeper rest and may help to revitalise energy levels and mental clarity.
Stress, depression and anxiety: The calming effects of acupuncture may reduce the emotional strain of perimenopause, promoting mental clarity and emotional well-being.
Improve circulation and alleviate pain: Acupuncture enhances blood flow and influences the release of pain-relieving chemicals to reduce aches, pains, and discomfort associated with perimenopause.
What to Expect at Vessel Acupuncture
At Vessel, we take an integrative, patient-centred approach to care. Your first visit includes a thorough consultation to discuss your symptoms, lifestyle, and health history. Based on this, we create a tailored treatment plan designed specifically for you. We also incorporate lifestyle recommendations, Chinese herbal medicine, and nutritional guidance to support your journey through perimenopause.