Women experiencing menopausal symptoms frequently turn to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies as a means of managing them, including diet and herbal supplements, acupuncture, yoga, reflexology, hypnosis, homeopathy or homeopathy as possible therapies.
Some therapies have proven helpful in alleviating certain women’s symptoms, including hot flushes and night sweats; however, more research needs to be conducted.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture involves inserting extremely fine needles at specific points on the body to decrease hot flushes and improve sleep, but its mechanism of action remains unknown and further research must be conducted.
Mind-body practices such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction have been shown to significantly alleviate menopausal symptoms such as mood and sleep issues. Furthermore, CBT may help alleviate urinary incontinence as well as vaginal dryness.
Non-hormonal medications such as antidepressants, the high blood pressure drug clonidine and epilepsy medicine gabapentin have been proven to decrease hot flashes and night sweats but may have serious adverse side effects. Hormone replacement therapy may help in some women but should only be utilized under medical supervision.
Alternative therapies, including herbal remedies, may be recommended by those looking for ways to avoid traditional medicines or have concerns over HRT safety. But while such remedies might help improve mood and may reduce hot flashes temporarily, evidence for their efficacy remains limited and many can interact with prescribed medication. While vitamin E and St John’s wort may improve mood temporarily while having no proven relief of menopausal symptoms; black cohosh has shown some effect in reducing hot flashes but more studies must be completed before being confirmed as beneficial; other herbs that might help include ginseng valerian root and evening primrose oil for improving sleep.
Hypnotherapy
Menopausal symptoms like hot flushes and night sweats often prompt women to seek alternative therapies as a source of relief. Hormone replacement therapy has proven successful at relieving these symptoms; however, some women prefer natural or herbal solutions. While numerous studies have demonstrated benefits for various alternative therapies, most have yet to undergo rigorous scientific analysis – although nurse-led hypnotherapy programs have proven highly successful at managing symptoms effectively and improving quality of life for women during menopause.
Hypnotherapy’s purpose is to tap into the body’s own natural resources for healing, using relaxation techniques such as cooling imagery and positive mindset reinforcement to promote wellness. Hypnotherapy may also help women identify and overcome negative perceptions regarding menopause symptoms, empowering them to manage them independently.
Hypnotherapy is an effective natural solution that can be combined with prescription medicines to ease menopausal symptoms. Hypnotherapy may reduce hot flashes and night sweats while increasing sleep quality – two common issues during menopause. Furthermore, it may help alleviate mood swings by alleviating anxiety and stress.
Reflexology, a massage technique applied to both hands and feet that’s believed to stimulate glands and organs, may provide some relief from menopause symptoms; although several RCTs indicate its efficacy for relieving such symptoms. While results were mixed among these trials, further investigation should be performed; furthermore, any treatment of this nature must only be administered by licensed practitioners.
Mindfulness
Recent research indicates that mindfulness meditation – a form of concentration on the present moment – may help reduce menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. But to get maximum effectiveness from practicing, daily 10 or 15 minute sessions must be practiced either at home, with an instructor in class or using smartphone apps like Headspace to log sessions. Before undertaking any alternative therapies for menopause it’s wise to consult your physician first and be wary of products making big claims or offering testimonials written by people receiving compensation in return for endorsements by testimonial writers themselves or offering testimonials written by people receiving compensation in return.
Study authors suggest that women experiencing menopausal symptoms should explore complementary and alternative therapies, such as complementary behavioral therapy (CBT), group counselling or mindfulness interventions (e.g. cognitive behavioral therapy, group counselling or mindfulness) to address nonphysiological symptoms like irritability and fatigue. More research needs to be conducted, however this critical review of evidence demonstrates the efficacy of psychosocial interventions such as CBT, group counselling or mindfulness to boost mood in menopausal women, while attenuating nonphysiological ones like CBT CBT CBT CBT/group counselling/mindfulness interventions can improve both mood and nonphysiological symptoms like irritability/fatigue/irritability/fatigue for non physiological women undergoing menopause symptoms as well as improving nonphysiological symptoms like CB1.
Vitamin E
Fat-soluble vitamin E has been demonstrated to reduce hot flashes in some women and improve mood, although research on its use remains scarce and evidence can vary greatly from case to case. Therefore, when considering taking vitamin E supplements it should always be done so with the advice and assistance from your healthcare provider as many CM products may interfere with prescribed medication and could interfere with its efficacy.
Cognitive behavioural therapy and exercise have also proven effective at alleviating menopausal symptoms; however, neither are likely to provide lasting relief in severe perimenopausal symptoms cases.
Gabapentin (Neurontin), typically prescribed to treat pain relief and seizures, may help alleviate hot flashes in some women; however, this should not be seen as a replacement for HRT, which must only be administered under medical guidance.
Women experiencing menopausal symptoms have reported finding some relief through taking natural or bioidentical hormones manufactured in a laboratory and said to mimic more closely what hormones produced naturally by the body than synthetic HRT. Unfortunately, long-term use can increase risks such as breast cancer and heart disease and is therefore not advised by NHS; in addition, some substances could interact with traditional hormone therapy regimens and cause imbalance.
St John’s Wort
St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is an easily accessible plant found throughout Europe, which flowers on June 24, which marks Saint John’s feast day and gives it its name. This herb can serve as both a natural antidepressant as well as help ease PMS symptoms as well as those associated with menopause such as hot flushes and night sweats.
Studies have demonstrated the ability of St John’s Wort to assist with PMS and postmenopausal mood disorders like anxiety and depression. One trial with 19 women experiencing premenstrual syndrome saw significant improvement after taking St John’s Wort extract for two menstrual cycles – it also proved successful at treating obsessive compulsive disorder as well as decreasing hot flash frequency frequency among postmenopausal women.
It is thought to work by blocking certain receptors in the brain which cause mood changes, so before taking this herb it is advisable to consult your physician first as it could interact with some prescription medicines and affect fertility or nursing babies adversely.
St John’s Wort can be purchased in many health food stores and vitamin shops, as well as pharmacies in their dietary supplement sections. You can take it as pills, liquid extract, tea bags or as dried herb tinctures. Local herbalists or natural remedy shops may also carry it.
Counselling
Women experiencing symptoms associated with menopause such as hot flushes and insomnia could benefit from talking therapy prescribed by their GP according to draft guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice). According to these new guidelines, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) may help decrease both severity and frequency, making CBT an effective complement or replacement to HRT treatment options.
Studies have demonstrated that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can assist women who are experiencing menopausal symptoms, including mood changes, memory and concentration difficulties, hot flushes and other related discomforts. CBT can also address emotional and mental health needs during this transitional timeframe.
UCL Psychology & Language Sciences conducted research that demonstrated how groups therapy could provide women with camaraderie, support, and the opportunity to learn from one another. Hearing how other women have coped with symptoms can give participants hope in their own journey and inspire confidence as they find strength from learning from others’ experience.
Many women experiencing menopause report feeling isolated when managing symptoms alone. Sharing experiences and finding out about possible treatments available, as well as learning from how other women have coped with symptoms can give a much-needed sense of solidarity and gain valuable advice and strategies that they can implement into their own lives.
