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My period isn't coming. Could it be premature menopause? Find the answer at Dalimchae Clinic Songdo Branch.

When your period suddenly stops or becomes irregular, many women feel anxious. Especially the worry "my period isn't coming" along with the fear of premature menopause can be overwhelming. You might wonder if this is only happening to you while your friends are fine, or if your function as a woman is ending. It's hard to simply dismiss it as fatigue or stress. This anxiety is natural and may be an important signal from your body.

💡 [Key Answer] 3 most common causes when your period stops or premature menopause is suspected: ① Decreased ovarian function: Ovaries fail to function properly, leading to reduced female hormone secretion. ② Autonomic nervous system imbalance: Stress and other factors cause issues in the brain-ovary axis regulation. ③ Chronic inflammation and nutritional imbalance: Overall health deterioration affects ovarian function. Dalimchae Clinic Songdo Branch focuses on restoring natural ovarian function and autonomic balance through constitutional improvement to return to a healthy menstrual cycle.

The causes of missed periods are more diverse than you might think. Most commonly, excessive stress and irregular lifestyle habits can disrupt hormonal balance. The hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axis is very sensitive and easily affected by stress, sleep deprivation, and sudden weight changes. Issues in this axis lead to decreased ovarian function, reduced estrogen, and eventually irregular or stopped periods.

However, it's often more complex than just stress. Ovarian function decline is not just a hormonal issue but is deeply linked to changes in the microenvironment around the ovaries, immune dysfunction, and overall energy depletion. Dalimchae Clinic Songdo Branch analyzes these complex causes from multiple angles to create a personalized treatment plan.

Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) refers to a state where ovarian function declines before age 40, stopping periods and causing symptoms similar to menopause. If you have 3 or more of the following, it's recommended to get a precise diagnosis.

✅ Premature Menopause Checklist

• No period for 3+ months or very irregular cycles.
• Frequent facial flushing or night sweats.
• Difficulty falling or staying asleep.
• Dry skin, loss of elasticity, or vaginal dryness.
• Increased irritability, depression, or mood swings.
• Decreased libido or discomfort during intercourse.
• Severe unexplained fatigue and lack of energy.
• Thinning or easily falling hair.

Criteria:

• 3+ items: Suspected ovarian decline, consider herbal complex treatment.
• 5+ items: High possibility of premature menopause, immediate diagnosis recommended.

While Western medicine mainly uses hormone therapy, it may have limits in fundamentally restoring ovarian function. Korean medicine sees it as a result of systemic imbalance, caused by weakness in 'Sin-gi' (kidney energy), 'Gan-gi-ul-gyeol' (stagnant liver energy), or accumulation of waste like 'blood stasis' or 'phlegm'.

Dalimchae Clinic Songdo Branch focuses on constitutional improvement. We aim to help the body restore its own ovarian function and hormonal balance. This involves increasing ovarian cell activity, improving blood flow to the ovaries, and stabilizing the autonomic nervous system.

Research supports this. A 2018 study in 'Menopause' showed that POI women taking 'Yangyin Shugan' herbal capsules for 12 weeks saw significant improvements in quality of life (p < 0.01) and hormone levels (bFSH, AMH) (p < 0.01), along with improved follicle count (AFC) and blood flow (PSV). Another 2023 meta-analysis of 2,597 patients confirmed that combining herbal medicine with other therapies was most effective for improving AMH and other hormone levels.

We focus on the body's self-healing power.

• Ovarian Recovery: Herbal prescriptions to stimulate circulation and ovarian cell vitality, helping follicle maturation and healthy egg production (improving AMH).
• Autonomic Stability: Acupuncture and moxibustion to stabilize the overactive sympathetic system and normalize the brain-ovary axis.
• Overall Health: Detox and nutritional balance to strengthen immunity and remove waste affecting ovarian function.

Q. Is it premature menopause if I haven't had a period for 3 months? A. It's a strong signal, but not definitive. Stress or other conditions can cause it, so a professional diagnosis is needed.

Q. Can I have a period again after a POI diagnosis? A. It's not always permanent. We treat to restore balance and reopen the possibility of a cycle. Cases of periods restarting after herbal treatment have been reported.

Q. Does it help with menopausal symptoms? A. Yes, it effectively alleviates flushing, sweating, sleep issues, and mood swings by treating the root cause.

Q. How can I prevent it? A. Regular habits, sleep, balanced diet, and stress management are key.

Don't ignore your body's signals. We will find the cause together at Dalimchae Clinic Songdo Branch.

Where Life Blooms. Herbal Medicine is Dalimchae.

Medical Supervision | Dr. Oh Hyunmin, Dalimchae Clinic Songdo (Premature Menopause Column).