Some women can't or don't want to take hormones. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which includes acupuncture and Chinese herbs, excels at reducing the menopausal symptoms.

First of all, menopause is not a disease. It is not an estrogen deficiency syndrome that needs to be "cured" with hormone replacement therapy. It is a normal, natural process that every woman goes through as she ages. According to western medicine, the symptoms of menopause are caused by changes in estrogen levels. As the ovaries become less functional, they produce less estrogen and the body subsequently reacts. The symptoms can range from mild to fairly severe. This variation is normal.

Some women may sail through menopause without difficulty. Others may experience such symptoms as hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, fatigue, palpitations, depression, anxiety, memory loss, vaginal dryness and thinning, changes in libido (sex drive), irregular menstrual bleeding and the beginning stages of osteoporosis (bone thinning).