Hot flushes as well as hot flashes, sweating, racing heart, sleep disturbances, headaches, general aches and pains affect 70% of women for up to 4-5 years and 10-15% for up to 10 years during and after menopause.

Medical acupuncture treatment has been shown to
-Reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes.^1,2,3,5
-Improve sleep and aches and pains.²
-Improve mood and pain symptoms according to the Menopause Rating Scale.⁴
-Relieve menopausal discomfort and the severity and frequency of hot flushes, flashes and sweating in those with breast cancer.^6,7

If you need help and would like to explore a medical acupuncture based course of treatment, and for further information, please call us on 01-2834303.

References
1. Vincent A, Barton DL, Mandrekar JN, Cha SS, Zais T, Wahner-Roedler DL, Keppler MA, Kreitzer MJ, Loprinzi C. Acupuncture for hot flashes: a randomized, sham-controlled clinical study. Menopause. 2007 Jan 1; 14(1):45-52.
2. Borud EK, Alraek T, White A, Fonnebo V, Eggen AE, Hammar M, Åstrand LL, Theodorsson E, Grimsgaard S. The acupuncture on hot flushes among menopausal women (ACUFLASH) study, a randomized controlled trial. Menopause. 2009 May 1;16(3):484-93.
3. Borud EK, Alraek T, White A, Grimsgaard S. The Acupuncture on Hot Flashes Among Menopausal Women study: observational follow-up results at 6 and 12 months. Menopause. 2010 Mar 1;17(2):262-8.
4. Kim KH, Kang KW, Kim DI, Kim HJ, Yoon HM, Lee JM, Jeong JC, Lee MS, Jung HJ, Choi SM. Effects of acupuncture on hot flashes in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women-a multicenter randomized clinical trial. Menopause. 2010 Mar 1;17(2):269-80.
5. Ee C, Xue C, Chondros P, Myers SP, French SD, Teede H, Pirotta M. Acupuncture for menopausal hot flashes: a randomized trial. Annals of internal medicine. 2016 Feb 2;164(3):146-54.
6. Bokmand S, Flyger H. Acupuncture relieves menopausal discomfort in breast cancer patients: a prospective, double blinded, randomized study. The Breast. 2013 Jun 1;22(3):320-3.
7. Liljegren A, Gunnarsson P, Landgren BM, Robéus N, Johansson H, Rotstein S. Reducing vasomotor symptoms with acupuncture in breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant tamoxifen: a randomized controlled trial. Breast cancer research and treatment. 2012 Oct 1;135(3):791-8.

Medical acupuncture has shown to be effective in the treatment of osteoarthritic knee pain, with benefits maintained for at least six months.^1,2

Leg muscle strengthening have also been shown to be effective and are recommended in the  UK national clinical guidelines as a core treatment of knee osteoarthritis.³ 

Medical acupuncture however is not included in these guidelines.

Following on from the negativity for Acupuncture as a Treatment for Low Back Pain in the current UK NICE guidelines, our American Colleagues have taken a completely opposite view on this matter and recommend Acupuncture as a non-pharmacological therapy for Acute and Subacute Low Back Pain.

According to the published guidelines in the Annals of Internal Medicine: referring to Non-invasive Treatments for Acute, Sub-Acute, and Chronic Low Back Pain:

After another tasty lunch at the Royal College of Physicians, we took up our seats to take part in the speaker forum. I was expecting plenty of questions to be put forward for discussion and was not disappointed. We had questions relating to the broad range of topics from the morning’s presentations; from purigenic signalling to the role of acupuncture in post-surgical pain to clinical application of auricular acupuncture and more.

Here are some highlights by topic:

Acupuncture and purigenic signalling

According to Professor Geoffrey Burnstock (GB), all cells release ATP. These include endothelial, skin, muscle, neural and immune (e.g mast) cells. ATP acts upon its various receptors creating a purigenic signalling effect, this may have positive effects at the various sites. In the correct doses, facilitated ATP release, for example in response to acupuncture, has been proposed to have a variety of therapeutic physiological effects. These range from autonomic modulation to analgesia, mainly due to its function as a co-transmitter.

In my view, to use medical acupuncture effectively, the needle becomes an extension of our fingers. Our fingers should begin the needling process by carefully palpating, becoming attuned to the patient's tissues, being responsive to feedback.

Such feedback may be a response from the tissues such as altered muscle tone, tension, thickening, congestion, bogginess, stringiness, stiffness, guarding and more. These are loose terms, more descriptive than scientific, not always reliable, but meaningful to the expert clinician.