By Dr. Pamela Kososki, DACM, LAc | Up North Acupuncture | Land O’ Lakes, WI
Every woman goes through menopause and perimenopause.
It is part of getting older. There’s no avoiding the hormonal transition, it’s built into our biology.
But here’s the truth many of us here in Land O’ Lakes, Watersmeet, and the surrounding Northwoods aren’t told clearly:
The symptoms don’t have to be extreme.
You don’t have to drench your sheets every night.
You don’t have to deal with cycles so heavy you plan your life around them.
You don’t have to accept joint pain, bloating, mood swings, headaches, or feeling “off” in your own skin.
Yes. Menopause and perimenopause, and periods are normal.
No. You don’t have to suffer through them.
A big part of how smoothly this transition goes comes down to something very few people talk about:
Your liver.
When your liver, hormones, and nervous system are supported, the transition becomes manageable and steady.
When those systems are overwhelmed, everything becomes louder, heavier, and harder than it needs to be.
Why Perimenopause Feels So Unpredictable
Perimenopause usually begins between ages 35 and 45. During this time, two major hormonal shifts happen:
1. Progesterone declines gradually.
This affects:
- sleep
- stress tolerance
- emotional steadiness
- inflammation
- cycle length and flow
2. Estrogen fluctuates dramatically.
Some days it’s high, some days it’s low. These swings create:
- hot flashes and night sweats
- mood changes
- irregular or heavy bleeding
- breast tenderness
- headaches
- bloating
- weight shifts
- brain fog
- waking between 2–4 AM or 1-3 AM with daylight savings
These aren’t random symptoms.
They all tie back to how your hormones and liver are interacting.
What These Hormones Actually Do
Estrogen
Your growth and vitality hormone. It keeps your brain sharp, metabolism steady, joints lubricated, bones strong, and cycles predictable. It supports memory, mood, collagen production, cardiovascular health, and pelvic tissue health. When estrogen swings, you feel it quickly.
Progesterone
Your calming, regulating hormone. It supports sleep, stabilizes the nervous system, balances estrogen, reduces inflammation, regulates cycles, and boosts thyroid and metabolic function. It begins declining around age 35, which is why many early symptoms of perimenopause show up long before menopause.
The Liver’s Role During Menopause & Perimenopause
Your liver is responsible for more than 500 functions, but three of them matter immensely during hormonal transitions:
1. Clearing Estrogen
The liver breaks down and removes estrogen.
When estrogen fluctuates heavily, the liver has to work harder to keep up.
If the liver becomes overwhelmed, estrogen builds up and you may experience:
- heavy or clotty cycles
- breast tenderness
- PMS that suddenly feels intense
- bloating
- headaches
- irritability
- night sweats
- the classic 2–3 AM wake-up
These are signs of sluggish estrogen metabolism, not “bad luck.”
2. Regulating Blood Sugar
Estrogen helps maintain insulin sensitivity. When estrogen dips or spikes, blood sugar becomes harder to control.
The liver has to compensate.
This leads to:
- cravings
- midsection weight gain
- energy crashes
- irritability
- brain fog
3. Managing Inflammation
When the liver is overworked, inflammation increases.
You may notice:
- joint pain
- muscle stiffness
- early frozen shoulder
- headaches
- swelling
- overall “inflamed” feeling
These are hormonal + liver-driven symptoms.
A Personal Note: I’m Not Just Teaching This. I’m Living It
As a Doctor of Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine, I’ve spent years studying hormonal physiology, the liver, and how these systems interact. I’ve treated countless women through perimenopause and menopause.
But I’m also in perimenopause myself.
And even with all my training, I wasn’t immune to the signs:
- achy joints
- shoulder stiffness
- fatigue
- shifts in stress resilience
It hit me one day recently and I realized, “Oh….perimenopause!”
So I started doing exactly what I recommend to my patients:
- Strength training at Luoto’s Fitness here in Land O’ Lakes with Erin
- Regular treatments to reduce liver inflammation and improve hormone metabolism
- Better blood sugar support
- Consistent hydration
- Dietary changes and intermittent fasting
- And on a side note, I even started doing cosmetic acupuncture on myself weekly so I can look like I’m still in my 30’s! haha
Within weeks, the joint pain resolved, the shoulder stiffness disappeared, and I got my energy back.
I share this because I want women to know:
I don’t just understand this academically, I’m walking through it too.
And the tools that work for me are the same ones I use to help my patients.
How Treatment Helps During Menopause and Perimenopause
At Up North Acupuncture, I use an integrative approach designed to reduce inflammation, support liver function, regulate the nervous system, and improve hormonal balance. The treatments I offer work by improving circulation, calming the stress response, stabilizing sleep, supporting metabolic health, and helping the body clear hormones more efficiently.
The goal is simple:
help your body transition through menopause and perimenopause with fewer symptoms, more stability, and better overall well-being.
My treatments are gentle, non-pharmaceutical, and designed to work with the body, not against it. Most women notice improvements in their sleep, mood, energy, cycles, inflammation, and overall steadiness as their systems begin to regulate again.
We don’t need to be told to “just deal with it.”
You deserve clear answers and real support.
At Up North Acupuncture, my approach focuses on the systems that make the biggest difference:
You Can’t Avoid Menopause, but You Can Avoid the Misery
You don’t have to feel exhausted, inflamed, overwhelmed, or out of control as your hormones shift.
Your body is trying to transition into a new phase of life.
My job is to help that transition happen with stability instead of chaos.
I offer free 15-minute consultations (in person in Land O’ Lakes or by phone).
We’ll talk about what you’re experiencing and whether my approach is a good fit.
You absolutely can feel better, and I’m here to help you get there.
Call 715-891-5421 or schedule online. I’m just here to help.
