Women struggling with menopausal hot flushes could find that acupuncture provides effective relief, a study suggests.
The traditional Chinese treatment proved significantly better than “sham acupuncture” at relieving symptoms of the menopause such as hot flushes and mood swings, according to a small Turkish study.
However the effects did not seem to be related to changes in the hormones responsible for the menopause, leading researchers to suggest that acupuncture might boost the production of endorphins, which can affect the body’s temperature control.
Doctors in Ankara tested 53 middle-aged, post-menopausal women, with half receiving traditional Chinese acupuncture twice a week for ten weeks, where needles were inserted into the skin and left in position for 20 minutes. The rest received “sham” acupuncture, using blunted needles pressed against the skin.
Those in the traditional acupuncture group rated lower on measures of mood swings, while the severity of their hot flushes was reduced even further. The difference was noticeably bigger at the end of treatment than at the beginning. Other symptoms were not affected.
Advertisement
While oestrogen levels rose in the acupuncture group, and levels of follicular stimulating hormone fell, researchers found little evidence that the hormones themselves produced the symptom changes.
They suggest that acupuncture could be considered by women unwilling or unable to undergo hormone replacement therapy, writing in the journal Acupuncture in Medicine: “Acupuncture was effective in reducing menopausal complaints when compared to sham acupuncture and can be considered as an alternative therapy in the treatment of menopausal symptoms.”
Earlier research has found that acupuncture was more effective against hot flushes than general medical advice, but it has not previously been shown to work better than the similar “sham” alternative.
Mark Bovey, of the British Acupuncture Council, said: “Our members have for many years successfully helped patients suffering from various menopausal symptoms.
“At a time when the body is undergoing numerous physical and emotional changes, an acupuncturists’ approach of treating the individual, rather than the illness, can help smooth the transition, providing relief from symptoms as well as an improved sense of well-being.”