A 2013 hot flashes acupuncture research study concluded that acupuncture reduced hot flashes in up to 95% of patients. This is similar to our own experience at Raleigh Acupuncture. Acupuncture dramatically reduces hot flashes and night sweats in patients going through menopause and taking anti-cancer medications that induce heat symptoms.
Background
Anti-estrogen therapy is given to patients after going through breast cancer treatment. The drug tamoxifen helps prevent the recurrence of the breast cancer. However, a negative side effect of this medication is that it triggers severe hot flashes and night sweats, similar to women who are perimenopausal.
Numerous recent studies have suggested that acupuncture is an effective therapy for reducing vasomotor symptoms in patients with breast cancer receiving tamoxifen. this hot flashes acupuncture research study was designed to assess whether acupuncture was safe and effective in the treatment of hot flashes in breast cancer patients taking tamoxifen. The study was conducted in South Korea.
Study Design
This hot flashes acupuncture research study took a prospective view of the data. It was designed as an observational study, focusing on patient symptoms before and after receiving acupuncture treatments.
Location of Study
The study was conducted at the East–West Medical Center at Daegu Catholic University Medical Center, in Daegu, South Korea.
Participants
10 patients were selected who had been treated for breast cancer,and who were receiving anti-estrogen therapy with tamoxifen or anastrozole. All participants were suffering from severe hot flashes.
Intervention
Participants received acupuncture three times a week for four consecutive weeks. Treatments lasted 25 minutes. The following acupuncture points were used for each particpant: GV 20 (top of the head), Yintang (between the eyebrows), and bilaterally at three points including HT8 (side of hand), KD10 (medial knee), and LV2 (between first and second toe). All acupuncture needles were sterile, single-use and hair thin. A total of eight needles were used for each treatment.
Outcome measures
The outcome measure comprised the severity of hot flashes experienced by the participants. Intensity was assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and a total hot flash score.
Results
During the study, severity of hot flashes was reduced by 70%–95% in all participants. Acupuncture significantly reduced the severity of hot flashes assessed by a visual analogue scale and the total hot flash score. A follow up one month after treatments ended found that symptoms had not returned.
Conclusions
Acupuncture provided effective relief from hot flashes for the Korean women receiving anti-estrogen therapy after surgery for breast cancer. The benefits of treatment lasted at least one month after treatments ended.
The researchers suggested that a randomized controlled prospective study with a larger sample size would further clarify the role of acupuncture in the management of hot flashes in patients with breast cancer.
Hot Flashes Acupuncture Research
While this study focused on medication-induced hot flashes, acupuncture also works well to reduce hot flashes and night sweats in perimenopausal and menopausal women. See below to links for additional information about our treatment.
Next Steps
BOOK NOW to schedule an appointment online to resolve hot flashes and night sweats.
WATCH VIDEO ABOUT OUR HOT FLASHES TREATMENT.
LEARN MORE ABOUT WOMEN’S HEALTH CONDITIONS WE TREAT.
References
Acupuncture for the Treatment of Hot Flashes in Patients with Breast Cancer Receiving Antiestrogen Therapy: A Pilot Study in Korean Women. J Altern Complement Med. 2013 Aug; 19(8): 690–696. doi: 10.1089/acm.2012.0347
Hot Flashes & Night Sweats
While both conditions are debilitating and similar in nature, Chinese medicine and acupuncture recognize them as two separate but related symptoms. We have an excellent treatment for both of them, which can be received at the same time. If you are suffering from hot flashes, night sweats, or both, come in for acupuncture. It is the safest, most effective, natural treatment available today.
What our Clients are Saying
Jade is the best!! I went from having 10-15 hot flashes a day…. Now I might get one every now and then. I’m so happy.
My husband used to be the furnace in bed every night and I was always freezing. When I turned 50 I became the furnace, and I was not happy about it! I was on my way to get hormone replacement when I got to reading about possible side effects. With that option gone, I turned to acupuncture. My niece had gone to Raleigh Acupuncture for migraines and raved about it, so I made an appointment. Holy smoke! This stuff really works!! It didn’t take but two visits before I started feeling cooler. By the time they got done with me I was back to my normal “always cold” self! Ladies, you owe it to yourselves to try this.
At 45 I started going through menopause. My periods became irregular for the first time in my life, with much more heavy bleeding and painful cramping. I started getting hot flashes and night sweats, was more irritable, and generally did not feel well. I read how acupuncture could treat menopausal syndrome (which I seemed to fit to the tee) and looked around for a practitioner. Raleigh Acupuncture seemed to have a lot of experience in this area so I gave them a try. They treated me for three months and dramatically reduced my symptoms. They used the acupuncture and chinese herbs. I am amazed at how good I feel, even better than before this trouble started in the first place. I never would have thought that acupuncture could make such positive changes in my health.
I went through menopause 10 years ago and was still having hot flashes and night sweats. I thought it would last the rest of my life. Then I tried acupuncture and within two months they were gone. Thank you Raleigh Acupuncture!
I’ve been going to Raleigh Acupuncture for 4+ years. I first went to them because I was having problems with my monthly period lasting two weeks or more, hot flashes that were extreme, and all over pain from fibromyalgia, which is a chronic pain condition. I was in a state of depression and despair, unable to work, or do things I love to do, like working in my yard. On a good day, I could perform simple household chores, perhaps a little yoga, and that was all. My first few visits brought relief from hot flashes, terrible neck pain, and wrap-around pain in my ribs that restricted my ability to breathe comfortably. I felt this was a miracle as I had suffered for many years, and had no idea it was so easily remedied. This miraculous ride continued as I took Chinese herbs for aiding my menopausal symptoms, sinus problems, anxiety, and general pain. As time went on I began to depend on Raleigh Acupuncture for psychological strengthening as well. Nowhere else have I found anyone that really listens to what I have to say without thinking I was crazy. Today, as I sit and reflect, I am about to graduate from an intense two year program for Landscape Architecture Technology. I took a huge leap when I signed up for full-time classes when I was 50 years old. I have enjoyed great success, making one B in 64 credit hours, the rest were A’s! In February of 2011, I was in a car accident where I was sandwiched between a van and a school bus. I was able to continue school and finish the semester, I believe because of my acupuncture treatments. I contribute most of my academic success, emotional well-being, and diminished pain to Raleigh Acupuncture.
