Acupuncture Can Help Reduce Hot Flashes

Called hot flashes here in America and hot flushes in the UK, these annoying side effects of menopause have long since been the thorn in the sides of older women. A recent study found that acupuncture may cure hot flashes, or at least reduce them significantly — in many cases, halving the frequency of menopausal side effects.

Here are some quick take-aways from the study:

• Half of women in the study said they experienced a 50 percent reduction in hot flashes
• One in 10 women reported an 85 percent decrease in frequency
• Only four percent said they had more side effects

This eight-week study involved providing acupuncture to menopausal women in an effort to relieve symptoms. Hot flashes can be very uncomfortable and scary, lasting up to an hour in many cases. Nancy Avis is a researcher from Wake Forest University in North Carolina. She advised that women who suffer from frequent hot flashes should try acupuncture as a safe, cost effective, low-risk solution.

Most women found their symptoms were relieved after undergoing acupuncture for just three to four weeks. The study involved nearly 210 women aged 45 to 60. These participants were considered either post menopausal or peri menopausal, suffering from at least four hot flashes or night sweats daily.

Some received 20 acupuncture treatments within a six-month period. Others were put into a control group. Of the 170 females who got the acupuncture, one in 10 found an 85% decrease in hot flashes by the end of the study. About half said they found a 47% reduction. One third of the females said they experienced a minimal reduction of 10% in frequency. And just four percent said their hot flashes actually increased.

Published in the journal Menopause, this study was well received, particularly as it came on the heels of a previous study that found hot flashes can lead to depression. This is in regards to a Harvard University study that found women who suffered from night sweats relating to hot flashes were more likely than others to display mild symptoms of depression.

Contact Metro Detroit Acupuncture

Marino Moutafis, owner of Metro Detroit Acupuncture, is a nationally-certified acupuncturist who has his license through the Michigan Board of Acupuncture. He invites you to contact Metro Detroit Acupuncture today at 248-432-2846 if you are interested in clinically proven acupuncture to treat and relieve hot flashes in menopause.