This perimenopause case report presents the successful treatment of a 47-year-old woman experiencing perimenopausal symptoms, including night sweats, foggy brain, insomnia, depression, and fatigue. The intervention involved a combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbs tailored to the patient’s specific pattern imbalance. The results demonstrated a significant improvement in the patient’s overall well-being and quality of life, providing valuable insights into the effectiveness of this integrative approach in managing perimenopausal symptoms.
What is Perimenopause?
Perimenopause refers to when a woman’s body naturally transitions to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years. Perimenopause is also called the menopausal transition. Women begin perimenopause at different ages. You may notice signs of menopause, such as menstrual irregularity, in your 40s. However, some women notice changes as early as their mid-30s.
Estrogen levels in the body rise and fall unevenly during perimenopause. A woman’s menstrual cycles may lengthen or shorten, and they may begin having menstrual cycles in which their ovaries don’t release an egg. They may also experience symptoms like night sweats, insomnia, concentration problems, fatigue, and vaginal dryness. Treatments are available to help ease these symptoms.
Once a woman has gone through 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period, they have officially reached menopause, and the perimenopause period is over. This perimenopause case report explores acupuncture’s effectiveness in alleviating the perimenopausal symptoms experienced by a 47-year-old woman.
Perimenopause Case Report
Our patient was a 47-year-old woman presenting with a chief complaint of night sweats, foggy brain, insomnia, depression, and fatigue. She had been struggling with these symptoms for the past 12 months. Unfortunately, they negatively impacted her day-to-day activities and overall quality of life.
Acupuncture Perimenopause Assessment
The practitioner conducted a comprehensive patient assessment, including a detailed medical history, physical examination, and an evaluation of the patient’s emotional well-being. In addition, they utilized traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) diagnostic techniques, including tongue diagnosis and pulse palpation.
TCM Diagnosis
Based on TCM principles, the patient exhibited signs of Kidney Yin deficiency (night sweats, insomnia, red tongue with scanty coating), Spleen Qi deficiency (fatigue, brain fog), and Liver Qi stagnation (depression, waking 2:00 a.m. unable to fall back to sleep, wiry pulse). These imbalances contributed to her perimenopausal symptoms.
Chinese Medicine Treatment Plan
The treatment plan for this perimenopause case report focused on regulating hormonal imbalances, nourishing Kidney Yin, strengthening Spleen Qi, and smoothing Liver Qi. This plan would help regulate her hormone imbalances, strengthen her digestive system, and ease her emotional distress. The practitioner prescribed a combination of acupuncture sessions and a customized Chinese herbal formulation.
Acupuncture Perimenopause Protocol
The practitioner scheduled acupuncture sessions once a week.
Points selected included:
Ren-4 (Guanyuan): To tonify Kidney Qi and nourish Yin.
Spleen-6 (Sanyinjiao): To tonify Spleen Qi and regulate menstruation.
Kidney-6 (Zhaohai): To strengthen the Kidney, nourish Yin, and regulate hormonal balance.
Liver-3 (Taichong): To soothe Liver Qi stagnation.
Heart-7 (Shenmen): To address emotional well-being and promote better sleep.
Chinese Herbal Formulation
A personalized herbal formula was prescribed for the patient in this perimenopause case report, consisting of herbs known for their ability to nourish Yin, tonify Qi, and regulate hormonal balance. Essential herbs included Rehmannia glutinosa (Shu Di Huang), Dioscorea opposita (Shan Yao), and Poria cocos (Fu Ling).
Progress and Results
After the first four weeks of treatment, the patient reported a noticeable reduction in night sweats and improved sleep quality. Her energy levels gradually increased, and the foggy brain sensation dissipated. With each passing week of treatment, she felt more like her old self. We discontinued the herbs after four weeks, they having accomplished the goal of kick-starting the healing process. After this point, acupuncture alone was sufficient to continue her progress. By the end of the twelfth week, her symptoms had significantly improved.
Objective Measures
Physical examination revealed a healthier tongue appearance, indicating improved Yin and Qi levels. Pulse palpation also showed a more balanced pulse quality.
Subjective Measures
The patient in this perimenopause case report described feeling more energetic, with a clearer mind and reduced emotional fluctuations. Her sleep quality improved significantly, with fewer instances of insomnia and night sweats.
Follow-Up and Maintenance
Following the initial 12-week treatment period, the patient opted for a maintenance plan consisting of monthly acupuncture sessions to sustain the positive outcomes achieved. In addition, she used these monthly treatments to address other minor issues she might be having, like a sore neck, lower back pain, plantar pain, or osteoarthritis of the knee.
Conclusion
This perimenopause case report demonstrates the effectiveness of an integrative approach combining acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine in alleviating perimenopausal symptoms. The personalized treatment plan successfully addressed the patient’s specific imbalances, substantially improving her overall well-being and quality of life.
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