Sep 10

Written by:
Thursday, September 10, 2009 

If you have ever been in the company of women, you have undoubtedly heard this question before. The answer may be faulty air-conditioning or it may be menopause. Menopause, known as "the change" is a transition from functioning ovaries to non-functional ovaries. It is a normal event for women that signals the end of fertility. However, some women go though menopause early due to chemotherapy, surgery, medications, or radiation.

Hot flashes, night sweats, headaches, dry thinning hair, pain, mood swings, insomnia are just a few of the common symptoms women have talked about for years. Drenched in sweat at any time of the day or night, pounding headaches, and insomnia is not anyone's idea of a good time. Menopausal symptoms vary in intensity, however, there are some women who never even notice their menopausal symptoms.

For those of you who are suffering or who have tried other treatments to manage these symptoms with less than optimal results, massage therapy may be the answer. What can massage do for you? First, massage is an excellent stress buster. It releases those feel good hormones called endorphins. Your mood improves. Pain reduction is another benefit when those hormones flood into your bloodstream.

Second, when your body goes into relaxation mode, your fatigue dissipates. Your bouts of insomnia should decrease over time. That means your fatigue will not fuel your stress and your stress will not fuel your fatigue. Third, scalp massage is felt to be beneficial for thinning hair, as it increases circulation and the flow of nutrients to your hair follicles. Stress can also inhibit the flow of blood to your head, and a good scalp massage can definitely alleviate your headache.

Most of you are familiar with the benefits of massage, but I do want to revisit essential oils briefly. Using essential oils during your massage is a great idea. Lavender, one of my favorites, and clary sage are good multi-purpose essential oils for many menopausal symptoms. Peppermint is recommended by many for hot flashes and night sweats. However, you can use whatever essential oil blend that works for you.

So, if the answer to the question is "It's me" and you know it's menopause, try something different. Give massage a try.