Can acupuncture help hot flushes? New Research

I went to the ARRC research symposium in London on 12th March - it proved a great opportunity to hear about some of the wide-ranging research that is going on. 

I was very interested in the presentation of a Norwegian researcher, Terje Alraek, into the effect of traditional (TCM) acupuncture on menopausal hot flushes.

The study was carried out by experts at the National Research Centre in Alternative and Complementary Medicine in Tromso, Norway.

Researcher Terje Alraek said the study involved women self-reporting their symptoms.

He said this type of research had been validated against other studies where flushes are scientifically analysed using data from the skin.

He added: "After menopause, 10 to 20% of all women have nearly intolerable hot flushes.

"The promising results of the Acuflash study suggest that acupuncture may be able to provide an alternative to long-term use of hormone replacement therapy."

The full account of the study was downloaded by aim.bmj.com on 1^st April 2011.  To read the whole thing, follow this URL:http://aim.bmj.com/content/27/3/101.full.pdf

For more information about my own acupuncture practice in Clifton, Bristol, please go to

http://www.acupuncture-bristol.co.uk/index.htm