Acupuncture for Menopause and Perimenopause Support
Introduction
Menopause is not only the stoppage of periods. It is a major transition in life, bringing about hot flashes, mood swings, insomnia, and many other changes. It is a time that often brings about great discomfort, even if it is rarely acknowledged! If you find yourself going through perimenopause or menopause in Brooklyn or NYC, please know that at Open Care Community, these hormonal changes are well known to us and we can help. You don't have to just "live through" these struggles. While many may find hormone replacement therapy the right option, acupuncture offers a gentler, scientifically supported alternative that respects the body's wisdom for relief.
At Open Care Community in Downtown Brooklyn, we understand that eventually every woman will go through menopause. The acupuncturists on staff are well equipped to treat menopause in a way that is both effective and affordable (sliding scale $45–$90 with an additional $15 for the initial visit). From the first hot flash, or just about anytime in the middle of committed menopausal years, acupuncture can offer much for regaining balance and vitality in this much-transformed time.
👉Looking for holistic support in your menopause or perimenopause journey? Book an appointment at Open Care Community today and discover how acupuncture can help you feel more like yourself again.
Understanding Menopause and Perimenopause More Than Just Hot Flashes
What is happening to your body?
The perimenopause usually starts in one's 40s (though it could start earlier) and is the interim phase in which the ovaries slowly produce diminishing amounts of estrogen. Sometimes this period can last 2 to 10 years, and irregular periods, mood changes, and hot flushes may begin to appear. Menopause occurs after you have gone 12 months straight without a period, which, on average, happens around age 51. Postmenopause is all the years after menopause.
Stages of menopause timeline with symptoms and age ranges
The hormonal fluctuations during this time affect far more than your reproductive system. Estrogen receptors exist throughout your body—in your brain, bones, cardiovascular system, and skin—which explains why menopause can impact everything from your sleep patterns to your joint health.
Common experiences during this transition include:
Hot flashes and night sweats: Up to 80% of women experience these symptoms.
Sleep disturbance and insomnia
Mood swings, anxiety, or depression
Brain fog and problems with memory
Joint aches and stiffness
Changes in skin and hair texture
Changes to your libido
Vaginal dryness
These symptoms are very common, but not all patients experience them. Some women go through menopause, leaving their lives almost uninterrupted, and for some, it is a very taxing process that dramatically affects quality of life.
✨Cultural Perspective: In the Western medical view, menopause is looked upon as a kind of deficiency disease; meanwhile, in the tradition of Chinese Medicine, it is viewed as a natural transition of a time when a woman's energy or qi is diverted from reproduction toward wisdom and self-cultivation.
Acupuncture for Menopause: How It Works
Considering Menopause From the Traditional Chinese Medical Perspective
Menopause is viewed in TCM as the natural wind-down of Kidney Yin and qi (your energy and cooling systems). The Kidneys in Chinese medicine control reproduction, bone health, and your body's foundational energy. With the depletion of Kidney Yin, one can experience internal heat (hot flashes), dryness, and insomnia. Therefore, acupuncture aims to nourish Yin, calm the Shen (your spirit or emotional centre), and regulate internal heat so that the balance is restored.
From a Western Point of View on How Acupuncture Works
From a biomedical perspective, research suggests acupuncture may help menopausal symptoms through several mechanisms:
Regulation of neurochemicals: Acupuncture may bring an upsurge in serotonin and the feel-good moods that help lessen hot flash intensity and stimulate patients' moods
Hypothalamic modulation: The hypothalamus controls thermoregulation, and acupuncture affects the stabilising response of this area to hormonal changes
Stress response: Activation of the parasympathetic nervous system decreases cortisol
levels and promotes relaxation
👉Curious how acupuncture can support you through menopause? Schedule your community or private acupuncture session with our experienced practitioners in Downtown Brooklyn.
Acupuncture benefits for menopause symptoms based on clinical research
Clinical trials providing evidence of how acupuncture relieves peri and menopausal symptoms:
Hot Flashes: In a 2019 BMJ Open trial, there were notable decreases in the frequency and severity of hot flashes after standardised acupuncture treatment
Sleep Quality: A 2024 meta-analysis of 14 studies with 843 women showed that acupuncture significantly enhanced sleep quality in menopausal women
Mood and Anxiety: Research has indicated that acupuncture can decrease anxiety and enhance emotional well-being during menopause.
General Quality of Life: Various studies have indicated that overall, menopausal symptoms and quality of life scores improve.
✨Complementary therapies, such as acupuncture, are accepted by the North American Menopause Society (now The Menopause Society) as valid choices for women seeking non-hormonal symptom management.
📚For more, read this- The North American Menopause Society
What to Expect on Your Acupuncture Visit
Your First Appointment
When you visit Open Care Community for the first time, your acupuncturist will learn about your own experience with menopause, including:
Detailed symptom assessment: When do you get hot flashes? How is your sleep? Your energy level?
Conventional diagnosis: We will check your tongue and pulse, routine procedures that give us some idea about your general well-being
Lifestyle conversation: Your diet, exercise, stress, and work-life balance all impact your menopause experience
The Treatment Experience
Acupuncture needles are extremely thin, thinner even than needles used for drawing. Many patients experience no pain or minimal discomfort when the needles are inserted, often describing a slight tingling or warmth. Most say that they are very relaxed during treatment, with many getting a much needed nap with their treatment.
Some acupoints commonly used for menopause are:
Points on the ears (auriculotherapy) can help balance hormones.
Points on the wrists and ankles in support of the kidneys.
Scalp points of mood and sleep regulation
Abdominal points for stomach and reproductive health.
Treatment Frequency and Timeline
Research has indicated that weekly treatments for 6-10 weeks provide optimal relief for menopausal symptoms. Relief may be achieved after a couple of sessions in some women, whereas several weeks of treatment are required for others to derive noticeable relief. Benefits tend to build up over time, and most women continue to benefit for months after treatment.
👉Curious how acupuncture can support you through menopause? Schedule your community or private acupuncture session with our experienced practitioners in Downtown Brooklyn.
Why Choose Open Care Community for Menopause Support
Well-established providers of women's health.
Our experienced acupuncturists are knowledgeable in women's health and hormonal shifts. We understand that menopause can affect nearly every aspect of your life, and we customize our treatments to your symptoms.
Convenient, Judgment-Free Care
Healthcare is a right for all, and that is why we have a sliding-scale fee- to make acupuncture accessible for as many people as possible.. You get to choose what you can pay—$45 to $90 for community acupuncture, and an additional $15 for your first visit. Our clinic is wheelchair-accessible and designed to receive women from all walks of life.
Private and Community Acupuncture
Community Acupuncture: Get treated in our serene community space, where you will be treated individually with other people on their own healing paths. Most patients take comfort in the healing energy of the group.
Private Sessions: If you prefer one-on-one attention or want to be treated for multiple issues, our private rooms offer extra treatment time and complete privacy.
Integrative Approach
We believe that you shouldn't have to compromise between traditional and complementary care. Our practitioners will review your medical record with you to ensure that your acupuncture treatments will compliment any other treatments you're receiving.
👉Whether you're exploring natural options or seeking support alongside HRT, we're here for you. Book with Brooklyn's trusted holistic clinic today.
Blending Other Techniques for Total Menopause Relief
Herbal Medicine: Nature's Hormone Harmonisers
Chinese herbal formulas can also significantly help with symptom relief. Some common goals our herbalists work with:
Formulas to nourish Kidney Yin: For night sweats, hot flashes, dryness
Heart-soothing herbs: For anxiety, insomnia, and mood swings
Liver qi regulators assist with irritability and mood changes.
✨All herbs are bought from responsible suppliers that adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and are available in easy to take pills or granular teas.
Bodywork Therapies
Other treatments may complement your treatment during menopause:
Gua sha and cupping work well for headaches, neck pain, and stress.
Facial acupuncture keeps the skin healthy and can assist with beauty issues that are most likely to happen during hormonal changes.
Tui na massage: Ancient Chinese medicinal massage that encourages circulation and relaxation.
Lifestyle Guidance
We don't tell you what to do, but we are pleased to share evidence-based lifestyle recommendations that are usually beneficial for most women:
Healthy habits for sleeping well.
Stress-reduction strategies like tai chi or qigong
Dietary strategies that promote hormonal balance
Motion exercises are suitable for improving joints and energy levels.
Scientific Research Supporting Acupuncture for Menopause
There is more research conducted on acupuncture for menopause. Some of the key findings are as follows:
Sleep Quality: A broad study in 2024 discovered that both acupressure and acupuncture significantly helped women undergoing menopause sleep better, with acupuncture reporting highly positive outcomes.
Hot Flashes: The studies vary, but some excellent studies demonstrate obvious declines in frequency and severity of hot flashes. A Danish study published in BMJ Open demonstrated rapid improvement after just 5 weeks of once-weekly therapy.
Global Symptom Relief: The evidence is that acupuncture enhances the quality of life and general menopausal symptoms, though relief of specific symptoms varies.
💗Safety: In thousands of treatments reviewed, acupuncture is safer with fewer side effects, usually in the form of mild bruising or temporary tiredness.
Is Acupuncture Right for Your Menopause Journey?
Acupuncture treatment can be wonderful if you:
Don't want to undergo hormone replacement therapy, or maybe you cannot.
Have some anxiety or depression alongside sleep disturbances, in addition to your physical symptoms.
Are concerned about the long-term risks of hormonal treatments.
Want a holistic approach that tackles various symptoms at once.
Are you dealing with stress that seems to worsen your menopausal symptoms
Important considerations:
Inform your acupuncturist if you are on blood thinners.
Some women with certain autoimmune conditions will want to discuss treatment with their healthcare providers.
Acupuncture works well together with HRT for those going for hormonal treatment.
👉Not sure if acupuncture is right for your menopause symptoms? Feel free to book a consultation here at Open Care Community to discuss your options with one of our experienced practitioners.
Frequently Asked Acupuncture & Menopause Queries
Q: Does acupuncture hurt?
A: Most women say they find acupuncture surprisingly comfortable. Thin as a hair, the needles usually do not hurt while being inserted. You could feel a little tingling or warmth, though. If the needles do hurt, please let your practitioner know.
Q: How soon will I feel the results?
A: Some women begin to feel better after 2 or 3 sessions; others require 6 to 8 treatments for major changes to take effect.
Q: Is it possible that my medications or HRT interfere with acupuncture?
A: Acupuncture nearly always goes well with medications and hormone therapy. We always find out your complete health picture before treatment.
Q: Can I get acupuncture while I'm still menstruating or in perimenopause?
A: Yes! Actually, acupuncture can be especially helpful when you are going through perimenopause and symptoms are quite irregular and unpredictable.
Q: Is community acupuncture private enough for such sensitive hormonal matters?
A: Yes, we will discuss your condition in a private intake room during your first visit. Our community space is set up to be private and peaceful. You will be thoroughly clothed, and the points we treat will be on your arms, legs, head, and ears. Many women find the shared energy comforting.
Your Path Forward: Embracing This Life Transition
Much like the dramatic transformation in hormones, menopause changes the very phase of life one is living. In many cultures, this transition is hailed as a time of coming into one's wisdom and power. The physical symptoms can be agonising; they do not have to entirely characterise this life experience.
More than just symptom relief, acupuncture offers a pathway to feeling balanced, vibrant, and grounded in one's body at a time when everything appears to be going topsy-turvy. The gentle care of Chinese Medicine works from a foundation of understanding that even your menopause is unique, just like you.
At Open Care Community, we've had the pleasure of assisting hundreds of women through this transition-healing from ongoing insomnia, debilitating hot flashes, and emotional stress. Yet, our greatest joy might still be seeing women find a renewed sense of agency and self-love as they walk this life path.
✨Remember: Menopause isn't a disease to be cured-it's a transition to be supported. You don't have to simply endure uncomfortable symptoms or accept that "standard" living now means being uncomfortable.
Your next step book an appointment today
📍Address: 44 Court Street, Suite 1000 (10th floor), Brooklyn, NY 11201
📧Email: info@opencarecommunity.com
📞Phone: (917) 426-1138
Booking: Book Online Here
