Mounting research suggests that acupuncture can be effective for menopause symptoms and support better health and comfort for women going through the process.
As a whole-body, systemic form of treatment, acupuncture produces several beneficial effects that can help with menopause symptoms, including:
Hot flashes
Fatigue
Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
Anxiety
Irritability and mood swings
Irregular menstruation
To reduce these symptoms, many menopausal women opt for hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and while HRT can be effective for some, the side effects can prove to be too much for many women. For these patients, alternative forms of treatment like acupuncture may provide relief.
How Can Acupuncture Help Women with Menopause Symptoms?
Acupuncture treatments have whole-body health benefits that can help menopausal women. Though the exact physiological mechanisms behind these benefits aren’t completely understood, researchers have identified several likely reasons for acupuncture’s efficacy in menopause symptoms, including:
Improved hormone balance
Menopause is marked by major hormonal changes in women, which is why HRT is considered a frontline treatment for some patients. During menopause, estrogen and progesterone levels both drop, while follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) increases. Dropping estrogen levels are the principal cause of menopause symptoms.
Acupuncture has been shown to help restore healthy hormone levels in patients and can balance out estrogen and progesterone. It does so by stimulating neurological pathways that modulate activity in hormone-secreting organs, including the ovaries, thyroid, pituitary and adrenal glands. This can have noted benefits on mood, hot flashes and excessive sweating.
Improved circulation
Menstruation is obviously affected by menopause, but irregular and painful periods may be noticeable during the years leading up to menopause - termed perimenopause.
Acupuncture’s ability to improve cardiovascular efficiency can improve menstruation-related discomfort and help prevent excessive menstrual bleeding. Acupuncture achieves this effect by stimulating the release of various vasodilators - predominantly nitric oxide. This relaxes blood vessels and encourages steadier, less painful menstruation.
Reduced anxiety and improved relaxation
Psychological symptoms and disturbed sleep are both common symptoms of menopause. These may be exacerbated by anxiety or restlessness, leading to increased irritability and further reductions in sleep quality.
Acupuncture has proven beneficial effects on anxiety, fatigue and insomnia, which is of particular benefit for menopause symptoms. Treatment improves these symptoms in two ways. One, acupuncture sessions are a relaxing experience for most patients as it is administered in a quiet, dimly lit room. A trained acupuncturist can perform treatment without causing pain or discomfort. Once the acupuncture needles are inserted into the skin, the acupuncturist will leave the room and give the patient an extended time to rest on the treatment table. It all adds up to a relaxing experience that can help control anxiety.
The second benefit is that acupuncture needles stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system when inserted into the proper acupuncture points. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for the body’s “rest and digest” response - as opposed to the “fight or flight” response associated with the sympathetic nervous system. By stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, acupuncture uses the body’s own physiology to reduce anxiety and put the body in a relaxed state, which has a positive impact on mood, irritability and sleep.
Increased endorphin levels
Acupuncture treatments also stimulate the release of endorphins into the blood. Endorphins are pain-relieving, mood-boosting compounds that can help control stress levels and encourage better sleep. Acupuncture is also associated with higher melatonin levels which is an important neurotransmitter for sleep.
What Does the Medical Research Say About Acupuncture for Menopause Symptoms?
Acupuncture is considered effective for most menopause symptoms and there is considerable medical research to back this up. Those medical research studies include:
- A 2018 study published in BMJ Open. This small study was a high-quality piece of research performed by a Danish team. A total of 70 menopausal women were divided into two groups – a control group that received sham acupuncture and an experimental group that received “true” acupuncture at points known to improve menopause symptoms. The experimental group received one acupuncture treatment session per week for six weeks.
Following treatment, the experimental groups reported improvements across the full range of menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, day and night sweats, sleeping problems and mood swings. - A 2020 study published in Nature and Science of Sleep. This study considered the impact of acupuncture on perimenopausal insomnia. It was a blinded study that observed 84 patients following 18 acupuncture sessions administered over eight weeks. The women were divided into two groups – an experimental group and a control group that was administered sham acupuncture. The researchers found that the women who received true acupuncture were more likely to report improvements in total sleep time, sleep efficiency and total awakenings throughout the night.
Acupuncture is a Proven Therapy for Menopause Symptoms
Menopause is a physically and psychologically difficult transition for many women to adjust to. Symptoms like hot flashes, sweats, sleep disturbances and mood imbalances are all part of the process, but women don’t have to suffer without help.
Many menopausal women in Houston are seeking acupuncture treatment to provide the support they need to control their menopause symptoms and improve their quality of life.