Acupuncture and Oriental medicine offers help to women and men who continue to have health issues directly related to the changes they experienced during their menopause or andropause.

For women, this life transition occurs in a relatively quick frame of time, as opposed to the slower, less obvious mid-life process that men experience. A woman is technically in menopause if there has been no bleeding or spotting for one year after her last menstrual period. Her production of the hormone estrogen drops significantly at this time.

A man, on the other hand, starts a slow decline of testosterone production in his 20s or 30s. This may seem surprisingly early, but this early phase of declining testosterone is unlikely to cause any noticeable symptoms. Once symptoms do appear, a test from your physician can help determine when testosterone sinks to abnormally low levels.

Although the hormones affected by the mid-life transition are different in the male and female body, some common symptoms that stem from "the change" may continue long after menopause or andropause. Shared Symptoms that may continue after mid-life changes for men and women include:
osteoporosis
heart disease
fatigue
depression
night sweats
weight gain 
loss of libido
Insomnia

Support your Kidney Qi as You Get Older
An acupuncture and Oriental medicine practitioner may associate one or more of these symptoms with the kidneys. The kidneys provide the foundation for the energy and vitality of the entire body. Other important functions reliant on this organ include brain marrow production, maintenance of the skeletal system (including the teeth), fertility, and the ability to conquer fear through willpower. While other organs may play a role in the presentation of symptoms, your practitioner will most likely choose acupuncture points to reinforce and nurture your Kidney Qi.

Healthy Kidney Qi is vital at all stages of life and, the older one gets, the more important it is to support it. According to acupuncture and Oriental medicine, the kidney is likened to an ocean and, like all water on earth, streams and rivers eventually drain into the ocean. This means the kidney is the ultimate filter for clearing toxins and hazardous substances from the body. Strong emotions contribute to the toxins which may plague the kidneys.