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Acupuncture
for menopause |
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Acupuncture's
popularity is gaining ground, even more so with the recent
hormone replacement therapy controversy.
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Now, the ancient Chinese therapy offers some menopausal women
another option
for hot flashes.
"You just keep perspiring, your face is turning red and people are staring
at you,” said Mary Alice Stuart.
When menopause kicked in, Mary Alice Stuart broke a sweat. But this nature lover
didn't want to cool off with hormone replacement therapy.
"The hormone replacement therapy is kind of scary, ya' know?" she said. "For
me, I just don't think it's a healthy choice."
Instead, she tried acupuncture, an ancient Chinese therapy that helps the body
heal itself. After several treatments Mary Alice says she found relief.
"I could feel a difference in my mood,” said Mary Alice. “I
didn't have so much anxiety. The hot flashes were not so intense."
"In general, based on my clinical experience, we do have a very high success
rate with treating menopausal symptoms,” said licensed acupuncturist
Jake Avancena.
Jake says the proper placement of the tiny needles helps adjust the body's chi
or flow of energy. Along with the therapy, he prescribes Chinese herbal medicine
in different formulas for different symptoms.
"In western medicine, they talk about hormone deficiency, so in Chinese
medicine we look at it in the same terms as a deficiency-type problem so we will
use the Chinese herbs in a similar way that they use HRT or hormone replacement
therapy,” Jake continued.
Mary Alice takes a combination of three herbs and sees Jake about once a month.
"He just doesn't even think I need once a month, but I feel like I need
to, ya' know?" she said.
Mary Alice says the more she sticks around, the less she sweats her hot flashes.
More information
Menopause
Menopause
is the cessation of menstruation. As menopause
nears, the menstrual cycle can become very sporadic.
Some women will skip a period or not have one
for several months at a time. A diagnosis of
menopause is made when a women has not has a
menstrual period for 12 consecutive months.
The North American Menopause Society estimates nearly 40 million American
women had reached menopause by 2000. In the U.S., the average age at
menopause is 51, with a typical range of between 40 and 58.
As women reach menopause, production of the hormones, estrogen and
progesterone, decline. Lower and erratic levels of hormones can lead
to a variety of problems. One of the most common symptoms associated
with menopause is hot flashes (the sudden sensation of extreme body
warmth, sometimes referred to as hot flushes). The brain’s thermostat
mistakenly believes the body to be too warm and attempts to cool down.
Blood vessels near the surface of the skin widen to allow more blood
to reach the cooler surface, causing flushing in the face and neck.
Some women also experience profuse sweating in an attempt to cool the
body. A hot flash generally lasts from one to five minutes. As the
symptoms reside, some women may feel chilled, cold, and clammy.
More than two-thirds of women experience hot flashes in the time leading
up to menopause. The number and degree of hot flashes vary. Some women
may only have an occasional hot flash, while others may have them several
times a day. Hot flashes that occur at night (called night sweats)
can interfere with sleep.
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Acupuncture for Hot Flashes
Traditionally, doctors have prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to reduce
some of the symptoms of menopause. HRT has also been used to reduce the increased
risk of osteoporosis, elevated cholesterol, and heart disease in women after
menopause. But not all women can tolerate HRT. Some women have also become concerned
about the safety of HRT after researchers recently halted a major trial of hormone
replacement (due to an excessive number of cases of breast cancer, heart disease,
and stroke).
One alternative form of medicine is acupuncture. According to traditional
Chinese
medicine, two forces – ying and yang – are manifested in the form
of a life energy known as Qi. This Qi flows through the body along specific pathways
known as channels or meridians. Any disruption in the flow of Qi can cause symptoms
or illness. Placement of fine needles along the appropriate pathways lead to
a balance of Chi and a restoration of health.
A study published last summer in the journal, Obstetrics and Gynecology, found
more than 10 percent of women were using acupuncture for relief of menopause
symptoms. Research suggests the treatment may significantly improve hot flashes
and some of the other physical symptoms of menopause. Some acupuncturists recommend
herbal medications, such as dong quai, in addition to the acupuncture treatments.
By: Claudine Chalfant, Source: Obstetrics and Gynecology 1/17/2003
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Acupuncture