Menopause and Vasomotor symptoms:

Menopause is a natural stage in a woman's life when she stops having periods. It is diagnosed after you have 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period [1]. Menopause usually happens around the age of 50, but the exact timing can vary. During menopause, the body goes through hormonal changes, and this transition can bring about various symptoms including physical and emotional symptoms.

Among menopause symptoms, vasomotor symptoms are commonly called hot flashes and night sweats, which are a form of temperature dysfunction due to changes in hormones [2].

Why vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats) occur?

Usually, our body temperature stays in a certain range, changing a bit every day as part of our daily rhythms. Our body has processes to keep us warm or cool, and it's crucial to keep our temperature just right for our organs to work well. Such regulation of body temperature can be disturbed by fluctuations in hormone levels and decline in estrogen level during the menopausal transition and postmenopausal periods [2].

Such hormonal changes may cause exaggerated heat-loss responses, leading to something called vasomotor symptoms. When there is a miscommunication between our body and brain, our brain misunderstands that our body contains excess heat and induces extreme vasodilation to dissipate this “false” heat [2]. Reddish skin coloration during hot flashes is the result of vasodilation and sweating is the way our body loses heat. This process may explain why a cold chill often follows a hot flash.

Evidence-Based Medicine for Menopausal Hot Flashes and Night Sweats:

Numerous studies have demonstrated that acupuncture has the potential to increase estrogen and other hormones, including progesterone and prolactin[3]. This suggests that acupuncture may assist in managing menopausal symptoms arising from hormonal changes.

For instance, in a clinical trial assessing both short and long-term effects of acupuncture, participants receiving up to 20 acupuncture treatments over a 6-month period experienced a significant reduction in the frequency of vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats [4]. Furthermore, the beneficial effects persisted, with a maintained reduction in symptoms even over another 6-month period after discontinuing acupuncture treatments [4].

For women seeking alternatives to estrogen or hormone therapy, acupuncture could be another promising treatment option.

References:

[1] Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2023, May 25).Menopause. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/symptoms-causes/syc-20353397

[2] Deecher, D. C., & Dorries, K. (2007). Understanding the pathophysiology of vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes and night sweats) that occur in perimenopause, menopause, and post menopause life stages. Archives of women's mental health, 10(6), 247–257. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-007-0209-5

[3] Ko, J. H., & Kim, S. N. (2018). A Literature Review of Women's Sex Hormone Changes by Acupuncture Treatment: Analysis of Human and Animal Studies. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2018, 3752723. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/3752723

[4] Avis, N. E., Coeytaux, R. R., Isom, S., Prevette, K., & Morgan,T. (2016). Acupuncture in Menopause (AIM) study: a pragmatic, randomizedcontrolled trial. Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 23(6), 626–637.https://doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000000597

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Disclaimer:

This website and its contents are intended for informational purposes only and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Whenever possible, it is advised to seek professional care from a qualified healthcare professional for proper medical treatment.