If you’re a woman between the ages of 45 to 55, you are either entering or well on your way to menopause. This can bring along troublesome symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. Maybe you feel sudden waves of warmth across the body, that can strike at any hour and vary in intensity and frequency.
These are often followed with sweating, especially at night, and a chilly sensation as the heat subsides. This is actually a common occurrence as approximately 75% of women with menopausal symptoms experience hot flashes.
You may also have trouble sleeping because your hormone levels are changing, which can increase your stress and anxiety levels. Emotions can start to feel more intense or make you feel irritated for no apparent reason. It’s like having mood swings on steroids!
Things can start to feel less excited down there as well as decreased estrogen levels lead to vaginal dryness and/or decreased libido. Other symptoms of menopause may be low energy, brain fog, or weight gain. While these symptoms are widespread, women can find relief from hormone-replacement therapy to lifestyle changes (e.g. exercising, healthy diet, massages, etc.) to alternative treatments.
One promising treatment for reducing the discomfort of hot flashes and night sweats is acupuncture. A randomized control study conducted at Stanford University School of Medicine demonstrated a significant reduction in the severity of hot flashes among participants receiving acupuncture.
Hot flashes are believed to be caused by hormonal fluctuations and changes in the hypothalamus, the body's temperature regulator. Though the precise mechanisms of the effectiveness of acupuncture is somewhat elusive, the evidence suggests that it influences menopause-related hormones and sleep regulators like estrogen and melatonin. Notably, acupuncture has been found to decrease the secretion of calcitonin gene-related peptide, a neuropeptide implicated in vasodilation and hot flash occurrence.
In essence, acupuncture aids the body in attaining homeostasis, particularly during transitional phases such as menopause.
Aside from hot flashes and night sweats, menopausal symptoms can also cause mood swings, feeling tired, concentration or memory problems, sleep disturbances, decreased libido, and weight changes. All these symptoms sound very depressive, but the good news is that acupuncture often can help. It’s a safe, non-pharmaceutical alternative with minimal side effects. There are no medication interactions to worry about and it’s an attractive option for individuals unwilling or unable to pursue estrogen therapy for symptom management.
If you want to learn more about how acupuncture can help with hot flashes or other menopausal symptoms, call Harmony Point Acupuncture at 740-677-9872.
References:
Huang, M. I., Nir, Y., Chen, B., Schnyer, R., & Manber, R. (2006). "A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study of Acupuncture for Postmenopausal Hot Flashes: Effect on Nocturnal Hot Flashes and Sleep Quality." Reproductive endocrinology, Volume 86, ISSUE 3, P700-710, September 2006
Lund, K. S., Siersma, V., Brodersen, J., & Waldorff, F. B. (Year). "Efficacy of a Standardised Acupuncture Approach for Women with Bothersome Menopausal Symptoms: A Pragmatic Randomised Study in Primary Care (The ACOM Study)." BMJ Open 2019;9:e023637. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023637
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