Hot Flushes
Herbs ease hot flushes – Journal of Chinese Medicine, Feb 2012
A traditional Chinese herbal formula thought to have weak oestrogen-like activity may help ease menopausal hot flushes, a small clinical trial suggests. The formula, Jiawei Qing’e Fang (JQF), contained Du Zhong (Cortex Eucommia), Bu Gu Zhi (Fructus Psoraleae corylifolia) and Dan Shen (Radix Salvia miltiorrhiza). Clinicians in China randomly assigned 72 peri-menopausal women who were experiencing 14 or more hot flushes per week to receive either JQF or placebo every day for eight weeks. The results showed a significantly greater improvement in hot flush score in the JQF group compared with the placebo group. There were also between-group differences in vasomotor and physical symptom scores. Blood triglyceride (TG) levels in the JQF group showed a significant reduction in women with a high baseline TG. (A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of a Chinese herbal medicine preparation (Jiawei Qing’e Fang) for hot flashes and quality of life in perimenopausal women. Menopause. 2011 Nov 14. [Epub ahead of print]).
Acupuncture improves symptoms after cancer therapy – Journal of Chinese Medicine, Feb 2011
Having weekly acupuncture treatment following chemoradiotherapy (CRT) head and neck cancer (HNC) may reduce patients’ symptom severity and decrease the amount of time they need to undergo tubal feeding. In a retrospective case series, ten American patients with HNC were treated with weekly manual and electroacupuncture for radiation-induced dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) and xerostomia (dry mouth). Nine out of ten patients reported subjective improvement in swallowing, xerostomia, pain and fatigue levels. Six out of seven patients had their feeding tubes removed after acupuncture, at a median duration of 114 days post CRT, which represents a relatively short time under such circumstances. (Acupuncture for dysphagia after chemoradiation therapy in head and neck cancer: a case series report. Integr Cancer Ther. 2010 Sep;9(3):284-90).
Meanwhile, a Norwegian study has examined the quality of life of breast cancer patients on anti-oestrogen medication, two years after receiving acupuncture treatment for hot flushes. Forty-one women from an acupuncture treatment group and 41 women from a sham acupuncture control group had received a course of 15 acupuncture treatments over a period of 10 weeks two years previously. Qualitative data showed that women previously treated with sham acupuncture complained that hot flushes were still a problem, whilst those previously treated with traditional Chinese acupuncture found them less problematic and generally had a more positive outlook on life. (Quality of life of breast cancer patients medicated with anti-estrogens, 2 years after acupuncture treatment: a qualitative study. Int J Womens Health. 2010 Sep 28;2:319-25).
Acupuncture alleviates breast cancer hot flushes – Journal of Chinese Medicine, Feb 2011
Traditional acupuncture (TA) offers an effective non-pharmaceutical method of managing the hot flushes and night sweats (HF&NS) associated with taking tamoxifen for breast cancer, according to British researchers. Fifty participants with early breast cancer who were taking tamoxifen were enrolled in a single-arm observational study. They received eight weekly individualised TA treatments, using a core standardised protocol designed for the treatment of HF&NS in natural menopause. The women’s mean frequency of hot flushes was reduced by 49.8% at the end of treatment (EOT) compared with baseline, and trends indicated longer-term effects at four and 18 weeks after EOT. The women also showed significant statistical and clinical improvements in other areas of physical and emotional well-being and reported their perception of HF&NS as a problem as being reduced. (Using traditional acupuncture for breast cancer-related hot flashes and night sweats. J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Oct;16(10):1047-57).
Acupuncture reduces hot flushes due to prostate cancer treatment – Journal of Chinese Medicine, Oct 2010
Acupuncture can reduce the frequency of hot flushes in men undergoing androgen ablation therapy (AAT) for prostate cancer. In an observational study carried out in the USA, 22 patients received electroacupuncture biweekly for four weeks, then weekly for six weeks, using a predefined treatment plan. After four weeks, 41% of patients had over 50% reduction in their hot flush score, and by the end of the treatment course, 55% of patients met this response definition. No patient experienced a significant increase in hot flush score during therapy. A reduced hot flush score was associated with improvement in the hot flush-related quality of life and sleep quality. (Acupuncture for Hot Flashes in Patients With Prostate Cancer. Urology. 2010 May 20. [Epub ahead of print]).
Another American study has concluded that acupuncture provides excellent control of hot flushes in patients undergoing AAT. In this small observational study of 17 men, the mean improvement at weeks two and six was 68.4% and 89.2% respectively, and at eight months the improvement reached 80.3%. (Acupuncture for the Alleviation of Hot Flashes in Men Treated with Androgen Ablation Therapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2010 Jun 2. [Epub ahead of print]).
Acupuncture better than drugs for cancer hot flushes – Journal of Chinese Medicine, Jun 2010
Not only is acupuncture as effective as drug therapy at preventing hot flushes in breast cancer patients who have been receiving long-term anti-oestrogen therapy, it also increases women’s sex drive and improves their sense of well-being. Venlafaxine (Effexor – a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) – the therapy of choice for such symptoms – has numerous adverse effects. An American team randomly assigned fifty patients to receive 12 weeks of acupuncture or venlafaxine treatment. Both groups exhibited significant decreases in hot flushes, depressive symptoms and other quality-of-life symptoms, including significant improvements in mental health. These changes were similar in both groups indicating that acupuncture was as effective as venlafaxine. By two weeks post-treatment, the venlafaxine group experienced significant increases in hot flushes, whereas hot flushes in the acupuncture group remained at low levels. The venlafaxine group experienced 18 incidences of adverse effects (nausea, dry mouth, dizziness, anxiety), whereas the acupuncture group experienced no negative effects. Acupuncture had the additional benefit of increasing sex drive in some women, and most reported improvements in their energy, clarity of thought and sense of well-being. (Acupuncture versus venlafaxine for the management of vasomotor symptoms in patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: a randomized controlled trial. J Clin Oncol. 2010 Feb 1;28(4):634-40).
Aupuncture for menopausal hot flushes – Journal of Chinese Medicine, Feb 2010
A multicentre randomised clinical study of menopausal women has concluded that acupuncture carried out in addition to usual care is associated with marked clinical improvement in hot flushes and other menopause-related symptoms. One hundred and seventy five Korean women were randomised to receive 12 sessions of acupuncture over four weeks in addition to usual care, or to usual care alone. The mean change in the average 24 hour hot flush score was -16.57 in the treatment group compared with -16.93 in the control group, a significant difference. Scores for psychological, somatic and urogenital symptoms of menopause also showed significant improvement in the acupuncture group compared with the control group. (Effects of acupuncture on hot flashes in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women – a multicenter randomised clinical trial. Menopause. 2009 Nov 10.
Acupuncture helps reduce menopausal hot flushes – Journal of Chinese Medicine, Oct 2009
A Norwegian study has found that acupuncture in addition to self-care can contribute to a clinically relevant reduction in menopausal hot flushes. The research was a multicentre, pragmatic, randomised, controlled trial with two parallel arms comparing the effect of individualised acupuncture plus self-care against self-care alone for hot flushes and health-related quality of life in 267 postmenopausal women. Hot flush frequency decreased by 5.8 per 24 hours in the acupuncture group and 3.7 per 24 hours in the control group. Hot flush intensity decreased by 3.2 units in the acupuncture group and 1.8 units in the control group. The acupuncture group also experienced statistically significant improvements in vasomotor, sleep, and somatic criteria compared with the control group. (The Acupuncture on Hot Flushes Among Menopausal Women (ACUFLASH) study, a randomized controlled trial. Menopause. 2009 May-Jun;16(3):484-93).
Acupuncture better than usual care for menopausal hot flushes – Journal of Chinese Medicine, Oct 2008
A pilot study on the effect of acupuncture in decreasing hot flushes in menopausal women has concluded either that there is a strong placebo effect or that both traditional and sham acupuncture significantly reduce hot flush frequency. Fifty-six postmenopausal women (aged 44 to 55) were randomised to one of three treatment groups: usual care, sham acupuncture (shallow needling at non-therapeutic sites) or TCM acupuncture. The TCM acupuncture group received one of four treatments based on a TCM diagnosis. There was a significant decrease in mean frequency of hot flushes between weeks one and eight across all groups, although the differences between the three groups were not significant. However, the two acupuncture groups showed a significantly greater decrease than the usual care group, but did not differ from each other. (A randomized, controlled pilot study of acupuncture treatment for menopausal hot flushes. Menopause. 2008 Jun 2. [Epub ahead of print]).
Acupuncture for chemo hot flushes – Journal of Chinese Medicine, Feb 2008
A small qualitative study carried out in the UK has found that a standardised auricular acupuncture protocol delivered in small group clinics is beneficial for women suffering from hot flushes caused by hormone treatment for breast cancer. The 16 women interviewed found the acupuncture to be helpful and relaxing. Many reported reductions in hot flush frequency, as well as improvements in overall emotional and physical wellbeing. The group treatment setting was regarded as supportive and encouraging. (Ear acupuncture for hot flushes – The perceptions of women with breast cancer. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2007 Nov;13(4):250-7).
Acupuncture reduces hot flushes
Acupuncture is associated with a significant decrease in the severity, but not the frequency, of postmenopausal hot flushes. In a randomised, placebo-controlled pilot study, 29 postmenopausal women averaging at least seven moderate to severe hot flushes per 24 hours, were randomised to receive seven weeks (nine treatment sessions) of either active acupuncture (standardised, individually-tailored point prescriptions) or placebo acupuncture (non-penetrating placebo needles at sham acupuncture points). Those receiving active treatment had a significantly greater reduction in hot flush severity than those receiving placebo. There was no significant difference in the reduction of hot flush frequency between the active and placebo groups, however both groups experienced significantly fewer episodes of flushing.
(Acupuncture for postmenopausal hot flushes. Maturitas. 2007 Apr 20;56(4):383-95)