From disrupted sleep and changing periods to headaches and difficulty concentrating, perimenopause can look different for every woman, with some exploring acupuncture alongside their existing menopause care.
From waking at 3am to changing periods, headaches or suddenly struggling to concentrate, the first signs of perimenopause may not always be immediately obvious. For women navigating these changes, acupuncture is one complementary healthcare option being explored alongside existing menopause care.
Perimenopause can begin years before periods stop, and while hot flushes are perhaps its most recognisable symptom, the experience can vary considerably from woman to woman.
Kim Gatenby, Deputy Chair of the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association (AACMA), Australia’s largest professional association representing registered acupuncturists and Chinese herbal medicine practitioners, said acupuncture is one complementary healthcare option women may choose to explore as part of their broader menopause care.
‘Women often expect perimenopause to announce itself with hot flushes, but the changes can be much broader than that,’ Ms Gatenby said.
‘Disrupted sleep might be blamed on stress or a busy life, while changes to periods, headaches or difficulty concentrating can initially seem unrelated. For many women, it is only when they begin looking at those changes together that they start asking whether perimenopause could be playing a role.’
Complementary treatment options
Research has examined acupuncture for menopause related symptoms, with studies exploring its potential role in areas including hot flushes, sleep disturbance and menopause related quality of life.
While findings and the quality of available evidence vary, Ms Gatenby said acupuncture may be one complementary option women choose to explore as part of a broader approach to their menopause care.
‘It doesn’t have to be MHT or acupuncture, or your GP versus Chinese medicine,’ Ms Gatenby said. ‘For some women, complementary healthcare may sit alongside the treatment and healthcare they are already receiving. The important thing is that care reflects the individual woman, her health, her symptoms and what is appropriate for her.’
Chinese herbal medicine is another treatment used by registered Chinese medicine practitioners, with research continuing to investigate its potential role in managing menopause related symptoms. The individual nature of perimenopause can also make conversations about a woman’s broader health particularly important.
‘One woman may be most concerned about night sweats and disrupted sleep, while another might be dealing with changes to her menstrual cycle, headaches or other symptoms that are affecting her everyday life,’ Ms Gatenby said.
‘In Chinese medicine practice, we do not assume every woman’s experience will be identical. We look at what is happening for that individual, which can include discussing her sleep, energy, menstrual cycle, stress, general wellbeing and the changes she has noticed.’
Talk to your GP
Women experiencing new or unexplained changes in their health should speak with their GP about whether perimenopause could be behind them, rule out other potential causes and discuss the treatment options available.
Ms Gatenby said greater awareness of the different ways perimenopause can present may help women recognise changes and start conversations about their health.
‘If you are noticing changes that don’t feel normal for you, they are worth talking about,’ she said. ‘Women deserve to understand what is happening in their bodies and to have informed conversations about the different healthcare options available to them throughout this stage of life.’
For women interested in exploring whether acupuncture or Chinese medicine could complement their existing menopause care, choosing a qualified and registered practitioner is important.
Local Chinese medicine practitioners include Nuha Collective, in Byron Bay.
