Acupuncture reduces menopausal hot flashes: Study

For managing your menopausal symptoms, an ancient Chinese method could be an effective alternative as researchers have found that acupuncture can affect the severity and frequency of hot flashes for women in natural menopause.

"The review suggests that acupuncture may be an effective alternative for reducing hot flashes, especially for those women seeking non-pharmacologic therapies," said Margery Gass, executive director, North American Menopause Society (NAMS).

For the study, women experiencing natural menopause and aged between 40 and 60 years were included in the analysis, which evaluated the effects of various forms of acupuncture, including traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture (TCMA), acupressure, electro-acupuncture, laser-acupuncture and ear-acupuncture.

Although the study stopped short of explaining the exact mechanism underlying the effects of acupuncture on hot flashes, a theory was proposed to suggest that acupuncture caused a reduction in the concentration of I-endorphin in the hypothalamus, resulting from low concentrations of estrogen.

These lower levels could trigger the release of CGRP (Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide), which affects thermoregulation.

The study will appear in a forthcoming issue of the journal Menopause.