Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
 Menopause is defined as the permanent cessation of menses. While it is a normal process of aging, some complications may require medical attention.
Complaints of hot flashes, or night sweats can signal the onset of menopause which may lead to other issues such as genital atrophy, and osteoporosis. It is not uncommon for menopause to begin near the age of 50 and for a woman to spend about one third of her life post-menopausal.
Menopause and hot flashes are not symptoms of a disease, they are a normal process of aging that can be both disturbing and uncomfortable. At times these conditions develop complications and you may desire medical attention.
Hot flashes, and night sweats may occur in 80% of menopausal women, and normally last for up to five years. Hot flashes and night sweats give the sensation of intense warmth in the upper body, typically lasting about 4 minutes. Hot flashes occur most frequently at night, which often cause women to experience insomnia, restlessness, irritability and emotional instability.
Genital atrophy may also occur in approximately 20% of post-menopausal women. Since many tissues in the genitourinary region are estrogen dependent, post-menopausal women may experience atrophy of the lower vaginal, labia, urethra, etc. Genital atrophy may progress to vaginal dryness, painful sexual activity, diminished sex drive, and an increased risk and frequency of infection, painful urination, and stress incontinence.
Hormone replacement therapy is often administered, however, it causes side effects such as an increase in cholesterol levels, water retention, weight gain, and bleeding. Due to these adverse effects, there are many who refuse to take hormone replacement therapy.
Traditional Chinese Herbals
According to traditional Chinese medicine, the Kidney is the organ responsible for growth, and aging. Therefore, the fundamental changes that occur during menopause can be attributed to Kidney deficiency, and Kidney deficiency is the normal diagnosis among all women with menopause.
Herbal treatments for Kidney deficiency are essential for the success of the treatment of hot flashes and night sweats, regardless of whether the patients are suffering early low level symptoms or later extreme symptoms.
Diagnosis
Menopausal patients may have one or more of the following diagnosis: Yin deficiency, Yang deficiency, qi deficiency, blood deficiency, and qi stagnation, etc.
At Guo Chinese Medical Clinic we will review all of your symptoms, then prepare a customized prescription to alleviate the symptoms. Careful monitoring takes place and the herbal preparations are adjusted to meet each individuals needs.
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