Is it normal for working women to suffer from high stress and sore shoulders and necks? Chinese medicine practitioner reveals: Decline of "kidney qi, essence and blood" may be the main cause
According to statistics from the Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare’s “2017 National Health Interview Survey”, more than 50% of Taiwanese women over the age of 45 have an average waist circumference of more than 80 cm, and more than 70% have shoulder and neck pain. If combined with common menopausal symptoms, women may experience excessive mood swings and their work performance may also be affected.
Wu Mingcang, a Chinese medicine practitioner at Jingdu Tang Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic, said that shoulder and neck pain in menopausal women may be related to the decline of “kidney qi, essence and blood”, which may affect the decline of metabolism in the body. If you sit or stand for long periods of time due to work, which reduces the amount of activity, it is more likely to lead to menopausal obesity.
“9 Major Symptoms” When Entering Menopause, Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment and Physical Adjustment Need to Be Two-Pronged
Wu Mingcang, a Chinese medicine doctor, said that the “Huangdi Neijing” mentioned: “A woman’s Qiqi Ren pulse is weak, her Taichong pulse is weak, and her Tiangui is exhausted.” This means that women will have physiological changes when they are about 49 years old, and they are more likely to suffer from fatigue, Symptoms include hot flashes and night sweats, soreness of waist and knees, tinnitus, dizziness, insomnia and dreaminess, palpitations, easy breathing, and frequent urination.
Wu Mingcang, a Chinese medicine practitioner, explained that the above symptoms are mainly caused by the decline of kidney qi, essence and blood, that is, “kidney deficiency” leads to dysfunction of the organs throughout the body. Menopausal women are often at the peak of their careers or in the empty nest period. Under conditions of excessive physical and mental pressure, it is easy to cause liver qi stagnation and liver fire. In addition, postmenopausal women lack estrogen, resulting in reduced parathyroid hormone function and rapid bone loss, making them prone to osteoporosis, back pain, and increased fracture rates.
“The treatment of menopausal syndrome can be divided into two parts: “symptom treatment” and “physical adjustment”. Traditional Chinese medicine will use diagnostic methods such as visual inspection, smell, inquiry, and palpation to provide corresponding drugs, acupuncture, and catgut embedding treatment according to different clinical manifestations. It mainly nourishes yin and nourishes the kidneys. Essence, soothing the liver, regulating qi and relieving stagnation, etc. to deal with menopausal discomforts,” said Chinese medicine doctor Wu Mingcang.
To improve shoulder and neck pain and hot flashes, Chinese medicine practitioners recommend eating more of “3 kinds of nutrients”
In addition to symptom treatment and physical adjustment, menopausal women also need to adjust their daily lifestyle and diet as they age. Wu Mingcang, a Chinese medicine practitioner, recommends that women over 45 years old can supplement the following nutrients in a timely manner to relieve menopausal discomfort through “diet therapy”:
Calcium. Such as cabbage, milk, dried fish, beans, seaweed.
Magnesium. Such as black fungus, beans and green vegetables.
Vitamin B complex. Such as milk, meat, carrots, beans, walnuts and other foods.
The above three nutrients can moderately improve flushing, fever, shoulder and neck pain, and at the same time slow down the frequency and severity of osteoporosis.
In addition, Chinese medicine practitioner Wu Mingcang also recommends minimizing caffeinated drinks, with no more than 300 mg a day (about 1-2 medium cups of commercially available American coffee) to avoid bone loss; maintaining appropriate exercise can also help For regulating symptoms of menopausal syndrome. If you want to treat menopausal discomfort through traditional Chinese medicine diet, it is recommended to be evaluated by a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner first, and then adjusted according to your personal constitution to achieve the ideal relief effect.
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