Hot Flash Relief through Acupuncture

A researcher in Norway, a country where acupuncture is widely used, designed a study to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture on post-menopausal women being treated with Tamoxifen following surgery for breast cancer. Tamoxifen is a drug that interferes with estrogen and causes menopausal-like symptoms such as hot flashes, joint pain, vaginal dryness and leg cramps. Participants who received Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) acupuncture had a 50% reduction in hot flashes, both during the day and the night, and this effect continued after the acupuncture treatments were discontinued.

A total of 59 breast cancer patients received either TCM acupuncture or sham (random) acupuncture for a total of 10 weeks. Acupuncture was administered twice a week for 5 weeks and once a week for the following 5 weeks. The subjects monitored and recorded the number of hot flashes they had for 4 weeks prior to treatment, during the treatment and 12 weeks after the treatments ended. Other symptoms measured included sweating, sleep disturbance, depression, palpitations and joint pain.

The head investigator reports “During the treatment, hot flashes were reduced by 50%, both day and night, in the acupuncture group. Three months after the last treatment a further reduction was seen. No significant changes were seen in the sham group during the day. At night there was a slight reduction during the treatment period but, once treatment had ceased, the number of hot flashes increased again.”

As acupuncture increasingly becomes more and more popular, researchers are continually designing studies testing its efficacy. To experience the many benefits of acupuncture, including pain relief, stress management, insomnia and hot-flash reduction, call Aletris Center of Integrative Medicine in Scottsdale, AZ to set up an appointment.

ALETRIS Center of Integrative Medicine is a Scottsdale, AZ wellness center serving Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Glendale, Arrowhead, Peoria, Sun City, Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, and Mesa, AZ with specialties in naturopathic medicine, natural hormone therapy, women's health, acupuncture, colon hydrotherapy, natural skincare and sugar hair removal.

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