Is Acupuncture a Possible Treatment for Menopause Symptoms?

Is Acupuncture a Possible Treatment for Menopause Symptoms?
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Menopause is a time of transition in a woman’s life when she encounters new opportunities and challenges. Although this change can be exciting in many respects as plans for the second half of life are made, the physical symptoms associated with menopause can be trying for some women. The hot flashes, sweating, insomnia, and irritability that are experienced by the majority of women at some point during the menopausal transition often require treatment.

The use of hormone replacement therapy for menopause symptoms is no longer widely endorsed due to the side effects and risks associated with estrogen and progesterone supplementation such as the now documented increased risk of breast cancer.(1) Because of the lack of conventional treatment options for menopause symptoms, there’s a strong demand for natural treatment options that work. One therapy for symptoms of menopause that holds some promise is acupuncture. Is acupuncture a viable treatment for menopause symptoms?

What Do the Studies Show?

A variety of studies have already been carried out looking at the effects of acupuncture for treating the hot flashes and sweating associated with menopause. Most of these studies have shown that acupuncture has some potential for alleviating menopause symptoms. The most recent study, published in the journal Menopause, reassessed this issue. (2)

Menopausal women were assigned to one of three therapy groups. One group received traditional Chinese acupuncture. The second group received sham acupuncture, while the third group received conventional care without acupuncture. Sham acupuncture is a form of “fake” acupuncture where shallow needles are used in place of the conventional acupuncture needles. With sham acupuncture, the patient believes she’s receiving traditional acupuncture when, in fact, she’s not.

At the completion of this two month study, the women’s menopausal symptoms were reassessed. The results showed that women in the group that received the traditional Chinese acupuncture and the women in the group who received sham acupuncture both experienced a reduction in frequency of their menopausal symptoms of hot flashes and sweating. The third group who received neither had no reduction in their symptoms. It appeared that both sham and conventional acupuncture were effective treatment for menopause symptoms. (2)

Is Acupuncture an Effective Treatment for Menopause Symptoms?

Although the potential for use of acupuncture as treatment for menopause symptoms appears to hold some promise, more studies will be needed to clarify the role that sham versus traditional acupuncture play in symptom relief. There’s also the possibility of a placebo type effect, but previous studies have supported some benefit associated with use of acupuncture for menopause symptoms.

Although it may be premature to recommend acupuncture as treatment for menopause symptoms, it’s a therapy that does bear watching.

References

1. JAMA. Vol. 299 No. 9, March 5, 2008.

2. Menopause 2008; 15(6): 1070-1078

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