Traditional Chinese medicine approaches Menopause as a variety of syndromes. All of them have been successfully treated by acupuncture and herbal medicine. The most typical cause for the symptoms associated with menopause is the slowing of the flow of "yin." When applied to the health of the physical body, this is the Chinese concept of the hydration or the cooling system within the body. Typical symptoms of yin deficiency includes:

hot flashes; night sweats; mood swings; insomnia; heart palpitations 

Sometimes, instead of the yin level dropping down, it is the yang that becomes deficient. The yang in the body represents the warming function of the cells, their metabolism and other active processes. When the yang is deficient, symptoms include: water retention, edema, weight gain, indigestion, hypertension, and a raised cholesterol level.  

Left untreated, yin or yang deficiency can lead to qi deficiency. Qi is pronounced "chee." It's the Chinese word for internal energy. Symptoms of a qi deficiency can include: feeling "run-down", fatigue, decreased sex drive, dry vagina, cold extremities, lower back pain, weakened knees and incontinence.  

In China, maturity is highly revered, perhaps that is why they call the time after menopause to be a women's "second spring." It is this reverence for the elder years that Oriental herbal therapies have evolved to their current beneficial status. Menopause can be made much smoother through Chinese herbal therapy.  

Prognosis  

Very good. Although the symptoms associated with "the change" are obviously transitory. Oriental medicine has helped women for thousands of years to enjoy their second spring without any of the growing pains.  

It is interesting to note that many women, after menopause, because of the slowing of the flow of "yin," discover their yang principle and go on to achieve, for the first time in their lives, success in business and other areas which have been traditionally dominated by men and their prominent "yang" principle. In the same way, men, after the age of fifty or so, often find the time to discover their "yin" or feminine principle and develop a more refined sense of compassion and nurturing in life.