Integrative Approaches to menopause symptoms
Menopause has been a marker of life transition for women for millennia, and is a normal and expected process as women age. The median age of menopause in the use is 51, though it can occur in the 40s or 50s.1 Menopause is marked by changes and eventual decreases in both estrogen and progesterone levels, with the eventual cessation of periods.
While menopause is a normal and expected transition, it is not without its challenges. Individuals may experience a variety of symptoms in the transition to menopause, including hot flashes, vaginal dryness, weight gain, bone loss, skin dryness, and increased risk of heart disease.2 Thankfully, while menopause itself is not avoidable, many options are available to ensure a patient’s wellbeing through the transition. In additional to conventional treatments (like hormone replacement therapy and other medications), a variety of complementary therapies appear to provide benefits as well. Here are a few of them:
Acupuncture – Acupuncture is an ancient form of medical therapy that has been practiced for thousands of years, and appears to be highly effective for the management of hot flashes. In the ACUFLUSH clinical trial, women received up to 10 acupuncture sessions over 12 weeks. Patients were randomized to either acupuncture and self-care advice or self-care advice alone. After 12 weeks, patients receiving acupuncture experienced fewer hot flashes than those in the group receiving acupuncture alone, and the severity of the hot flashes decreased as well.3 Further studies have suggested that acupuncture can improve a variety of symptoms related to menopause.4
Yoga - Yoga, like acupuncture, has been practiced for thousands of years, and we are just beginning to learn how powerful a tool it can be for a variety of health concerns. One 8-week clinical trial compared yoga therapy to regular exercises. Patients who practiced yoga experienced significant improvements in hot flashes and stress compared to those who practiced regular exercise.5
Mindfulness – Mindfulness has become a hot topic in the popular press for a variety of reasons, and it appears to provide benefits in managing menopause symptoms as well. One study of a particular mindfulness program, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), randomized 110 women with hot flashes to an 8-week mindfulness program or a waitlist for the program. Participants receiving MBSR reported significant improvements in hot flashes, quality of life, sleep, anxiety, and stress.6
These are just a few of the complementary approaches that show great promise for managing the transition to menopause. Additional options may include botanicals, hypnosis, dietary changes, exercise, and spirituality.7 If you have questions about any of these, don’t hesitate to ask your healthcare provider!
1. McKinlay SM. The normal menopause transition: an overview. Maturitas. 1996;23(2):137-145. doi:10.1016/0378-5122(95)00985-X
2. Monteleone P, Mascagni G, Giannini A, Genazzani AR, Simoncini T. Symptoms of menopause — global prevalence, physiology and implications. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2018;14(4):199-215. doi:10.1038/nrendo.2017.180
3. Borud EK, Alraek T, White A, et al. The Acupuncture on Hot Flushes Among Menopausal Women (ACUFLASH) study, a randomized controlled trial. Menopause N Y N. 2009;16(3):484-493. doi:10.1097/gme.0b013e31818c02ad
4. Chiu HY, Pan CH, Shyu YK, Han BC, Tsai PS. Effects of acupuncture on menopause-related symptoms and quality of life in women in natural menopause: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Menopause N Y N. 2015;22(2):234-244. doi:10.1097/GME.0000000000000260
5. Chattha R, Raghuram N, Venkatram P, Hongasandra NR. Treating the climacteric symptoms in Indian women with an integrated approach to yoga therapy: a randomized control study. Menopause N Y N. 2008;15(5):862-870. doi:10.1097/gme.0b013e318167b902
6. Carmody JF, Crawford S, Salmoirago-Blotcher E, Leung K, Churchill L, Olendzki N. Mindfulness training for coping with hot flashes: results of a randomized trial. Menopause N Y N. 2011;18(6):611-620. doi:10.1097/gme.0b013e318204a05c
7. MD DR. Integrative Medicine. 4th edition. Elsevier; 2017.