Menopause

You can be comfortable, calm, compassionate, well rested, and physically and mentally vibrant again with help for your menopausal challenges from Dr. Mudrak.

Menopause

• How long does it take to treat menopausal and perimenopausal symptoms?
• Is it necessary to continue with the treatments for the rest of your life in the way that the ERT is recommended and prescribed?

The vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes, dry hair, eyes and vagina, depression or mood swings, insomnia, change in sexual interest, nervous tension and irritability, and/or incontinence) are typically the worst in the first year after the final menses. The natural therapies of acupuncture, herbs and or nutritional therapy can be typically reduced or eliminated after the menstrual cycles have ceased for one year.

Dr. Mudrak can help you find a healthy harmone balance with reduced hot flashes utilizing acupuncture and nutraceutical therapies.

 

• What is the difference between perimenopause and menopause?
• When do women go through menopause?

Perimenopause is a transitional phase in life that may last about 4 years, and it is a milestone of a woman's menstrual cyclicity and fertility. It typically onsets at 47 years of age and is completed at menopause. It is marked most importantly by a change in menstrual regularity by either greater or fewer days between her menstrual period. There may also be a change in the nature of the menses such as heavy bleeding or a variety of premenstrual symptoms not previously experienced along with the onset of some of the perimenopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, dry hair, eyes and vagina, depression or mood swings, insomnia, change in sexual interest, nervous tension and irritability, and/or urinary tract irritation.

Menopause is a phase in a woman's life which commences when her menstrual periods have ceased for one year and occurs for a woman at an average age of 50.7 years of age.

 

• Are perimenopause and menopause symptoms and complaints due to estrogen deficiency?
• Are there any other hormonal concerns in menopause?

There is much more to the picture of hormonal imbalance during these years than simply deficient estrogen (estradiol). Dr. Mudrak can make a proper diagnosis based on hormonal imbalances and recommend a treatment regimen that is tailored to your individual needs. There really are twelve combinations of hormonal imbalances that are possible in menopause:

The first three both have adequate levels of both Estradiol and Progesterone, but are distinguished by:

1) Normal Testosterone; 2) Low Testosterone; or 3) High Testosterone

The second group of three all present with deficient Estradiol but are distinguished by:

4) Normal Testosterone; 5) Low Testosterone; or 6) High Testosterone

The third group presents with a progesterone deficiency but again are distinguished by:

7) Normal Testosterone; 8) Low Testosterone; or 9) High Testosterone

The fourth group present with deficient estradiol and progesterone both, but are distinguished by:

10) Normal Testosterone; 11) Low Testosterone; or 12) High testosterone

 

• Given all of these possibile combinations how does a woman get help making the transition from perimenopause to menopause?

Dr. Mudrak can treat the attendant symptoms effectively and safely, often replacing eliminating the need for Estrogen Replacement Therapy (ERT) with acupuncture, herbal and nutitional therapeutic intervention. Depending on the severity and number of symtoms, an individual woman may need nutritional therapy and herbs as well as acupuncture in order to achieve results which are as good as the ERT, but the results provided by ERT can often be met or exceeded without the risks associated with ongoing pharmaceutical estrogen exposure. Dr. Mudrak has the expertise to prepare a plan that will promote your peace of mind and body in a safe, effective and affordable approach.

Traditional Chinese Medical (TCM) and Menopause

• How is menopause viewed from a Traditional Chinese Medical (TCM) perspective?

Menopause is a process of metamorphosis in which a woman reorganizes the functional life of her body. In the Chinese medical classics, a woman has milestone developments and transformations every seven years, and the greatest of these occurs at seven times seven, or forty nine years of age, hailing the onset of menopause. The energetic channel which delivers Qi and Blood from the Kidney to the uterus (Chong Mai) stops delivering a surplus of blood and moisture (Tian gui or heavenly waters) resulting in the cessation of the menstrual cycles and fertility. Seen a TCM way, the woman metamorphosizes from the occupation and demands of being a mother and raising a family to becoming a more mature and compassionate woman of the community. The Qi and blood that once flowed from her Kidneys to support reproductive functions and uterus now reverses its flow upwards to nourish her heart, and her capacity for internal wisdom and grace are enriched.

 

• Do all women have difficulty in making this metamorphosis from a TCM view?

NO! There is not necessarily a deficiency of Qi, Blood and Moisture at menopause unless there was a pre-existing deficiency. During normal reproductive maturity at menopause, a pre-existing deficency is heightened by the gradual decrease in the flow of the Kidney energy to the uterus. It is this significant decline of Moisture, Essence and Blood that causes the symptoms associated with menopause in TCM.

 

• How is menopause treated from a TCM approach?

The proper herbal selection, acupuncture treatment and particular nutritional therapies may be diferent for each woman depending on her presenting patterns and history.

Dr. Mudrak has the TCM skills to differentiate the possible TCM patterns relating to menopausal symptoms and discomfort and to understand and treat your particular needs:

• Kidney Yin Deficiency: either with yin deficiency or yang deficiency;
• Blood Stagnation;
• Heart Qi, Blood and Yin Deficiency;
• Phlegm-heat with Liver and Heart fire;
• Liver and Heart Yin Deficiency with heat, or, Kidney Yin Deficiency;
• Liver Qi Stagnation with deficient or excess heat;
• Liver Blood Deficiency with heat or Kidney Yin Deficiency.

It is possible to be comfortable, calm, compassionate, well rested and physically and mentally vibrant again with help with for your menopausal challenges from Dr. Mudrak.

 

• How to get Started?

See the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) Evaluation Form. and call Dr. Mudrak.