In the consultation room, I often hear patients say, “I don’t feel like myself these days.” If your face and chest suddenly feel hot, your sleep becomes shallow, and you find yourself becoming irritable or tearful over small things, it may be hard to dismiss it as simple fatigue. Menopause is a time when changes in female hormones overlap with the aging process, and the balance of the body and mind can become unsettled. I recommend checking your lifestyle and treatment direction together from the time symptoms first begin, even if they are mild.
Menopause Symptoms Do Not Come In Just One Form
During menopause, symptoms related to unstable temperature regulation may appear, such as hot flashes, facial flushing, cold sweats, and feeling chilled. Insomnia, low mood, anxiety, and sensitivity may also occur, and some people experience discomfort from joint pain, numbness, vaginal dryness, urinary incontinence, or weight gain. Because the duration and intensity vary greatly from person to person, it is important to look closely at your current condition rather than simply trying to endure it with the thought that it will pass.
In Korean Medicine, We Look At Changes In Body Fluids And Essence-Blood
In Korean medicine, various menopausal discomforts are understood as a process in which body fluids and essence-blood decrease and the balance of heat becomes disrupted. Even with the same hot flashes, the prescription and treatment plan differ for someone who can barely sleep, someone with weak digestion, someone with prominent weight gain, or someone whose energy has dropped sharply. That is why we use pulse diagnosis, abdominal diagnosis, and consultation to check the body’s excess and deficiency, the location of heat, sleep and digestion, and urination status together.
When Can Jahageo Pharmacopuncture Be Considered?
Jahageo has been used in Korean medicine as an herb that tonifies essence-blood and supports recovery in a weakened body. Jahageo pharmacopuncture, or placenta pharmacopuncture, is a method of injecting a small amount of a related pharmacopuncture preparation into acupuncture points, using the principles of both acupuncture treatment and medicinal treatment. There are research reports on its use for menopausal hot flashes, fatigue, insomnia, and emotional tension, but it is not applied in the same way for everyone. We decide carefully after checking existing conditions, medications being taken, allergy history, and the pattern of symptoms.
Herbal Medicine, Acupuncture And Moxibustion, And Tonics Are Chosen According To Your Condition
Menopause treatment is combined according to symptoms and physical strength rather than insisting on only one method. The approach differs when hot flashes and a pattern of hwa-byung are prominent, when insomnia and low mood are central, or when vaginal dryness or urinary incontinence is uncomfortable. For those with insufficient body fluids and reduced energy, herbal tonics such as Gyeongokgo or Gongjindan may be considered, but we do not recommend taking them without evaluating constitution, digestive strength, and whether heat sensations are present.
We Recommend A Consultation In These Cases
- When sleep is repeatedly disrupted because of hot flashes and cold sweats
- When unexplained anxiety, low mood, or irritability affects relationships or daily life
- When weight gain, abdominal obesity, and concerns about blood pressure, blood sugar, or lipid abnormalities occur together
- If you have bleeding after menopause, severe pelvic pain, or breast changes, we recommend also seeing an obstetrician-gynecologist
- If you are taking hormone therapy, sleep medication, antidepressants, or other medications, do not stop them on your own, and consult your medical team
- If you have emergency symptoms such as thoughts of self-harm, decreased consciousness, or paralysis, call 119 or go to the emergency room first
If you drastically reduce meals or suddenly begin intense exercise to manage weight during menopause, hot flashes, insomnia, and joint pain may become more uncomfortable. The goal at this time is not to quickly lower the number on the scale, but to protect metabolic health and create room for the body to recover. If the changes you are experiencing feel unfamiliar and difficult, I encourage you to read your body’s signals together rather than enduring them alone.