Effects of Acupuncture on Menopause: Part 3

As discussed in part 1 & part 2 of this series, research shows acupuncture can have beneficial effects on menopause and significantly ease its symptoms. A study from The Journal of The North American Menopause Society also examined acupuncture’s effectiveness in treating menopause.

Methods: The controlled study consisted of peri- and postmenopausal participants who were randomly divided into two groups. The experimental group received twelve acupuncture treatments and maintained their usual care for four weeks. The control group simply underwent usual care. To measure hot flashes, the researchers multiplied their frequency by their severity on a scale of one to ten. These calculations were recorded daily.

Researchers measured the change in the participants’ hot flash scores over the four-week period. Also, using the total Menopause Rating Scale, they measured the change in other menopause-related symptoms.

Results: The change in hot flash score was –16.57 in the acupuncture group and only –6.93 in the control group. Measurements from the Menopause Rating Scale showed significant improvements in the psychological, somatic, and urogenital symptoms within the acupuncture group compared to the control group.

Conclusion: This study shows that receiving acupuncture in conjunction with usual care can more significantly ease hot flashes and other menopause-related symptoms in peri- and postmenopausal people.

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Source

Kim, Kun Hyung, et al. (2010). Effects of acupuncture on hot flashes in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women—a multicenter randomized clinical trial. The Journal of The North American Menopause Society (17)2, 269–280.