Published on: 16 Apr 2018 by robintips

What Does Acupuncture Have To Do With Menopause?

Menopause is a normal step in the aging process. It marks the cessation
of a women’s reproductive life and it is commonly accompanied by an array of
disruptive symptoms. According to a recent survey record numbers show that 2.7
million Canadian women will reach this point of their lives in the next decade,
posing a great burden on health, social and economic systems altogether[1]. Hot flashes are at the
top of the symptoms list, with 39% of women going through menopause
experiencing them. Other common symptoms involve sleeping difficulties,
fatigue, night sweats, urinary incontinence or mood swings.

 

The survey which also happens to be largest one ever conducted aiming
to assess the perspectives and opinions of Canadian women and general
practitioners about menopause, also showed that currently hormone-replacement
therapy (HRT) is the standard of care. Administered as tablets, skin patches or
gel, this type of treatment is considered to be the most effective in helping
women deal with the symptoms, but what if someone was to need or want an
alternative? Canadian physicians have pointed out the high unmet need for
non-hormonal options, and seven in ten women surveyed have thought so to. With
as many as three out of ten physicians reporting they have received far too
less or no counselling and information in order to be able to offer alternative
options.

 

Hot flashes reduced with acupuncture

 

Hot flashes are, as the name suggest, swift sensations of heat
throughout the entire body which lead to a flushed face, red neck and sweating.
Some women might also experience an increased heart rate or chills. They also
occur during night-time and they are believed to be caused by a reduction in
oestrogen levels.

 

According to experts at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, acupuncture
managed to significantly reduce hot flashes and maintain results for 6 months
after the treatment[2].
Supported by the National Institutes of Health, the survey aimed to analyze the
various response to the technique. It involved over 200 women aged between 45
and 60 years old who were experiencing at least four hot flashes every 24
hours. Here, it is important to note that even though such an episode has a
short ‘lifespan’ – lasting for around 5 minutes, many women can have as many as
20 every day, equating to almost two hours.

http://blogs.rediff.com/acupunctureposts/2018/04/16/using-acupuncture-in-diabetes-what-benefits-are-...

After the first half of the year, the women who had acupuncture
reported a decrease in hot flashes frequency by almost 37%, compared to the
post-study period. Following a period of another 6 months after the treatment
stopped, the women involved in the study showed the benefits persisted, with
hot flashes episodes still decreased at 29%.

The potentially life-changing effects of acupuncture on the brain and
body are yet to be fully understood, but the future seems promising. Because
every women is experiencing menopause in her own unique way, this technique
allows a more tailored plan of action and provides a solution to a great unmet
need that has not been receiving the attention it deserves.

[1]https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/largest-canadian-survey-on-menopause-takes-temperature-as-women-enter-this-life-stage-on-an-unprecedented-scale-533875331.html

[2]https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/310527.php