General hormonal imbalances
Imbalances in the reproductive hormones oestrogen and progesterone, which give rise to problems such as painful periods, irregular periods and premenstrual tension syndrome (PMT), and associated with these, painful lumpy breasts,and all of these may respond well to acupuncture. Later in life, hot flushes and associated perimenopausal problems such as depression, muscle and joint pains and fatigue may be helped. Hot flushes associated with Tamoxifen treatment (for breast cancer) usually respond well (Acupuncture in Medicine (2000) June (18):1, 22-27). For dysmenorrhoea (painful periods) acupuncture has been shown to be of benefit (Jnl Family Planning & Reproductive Health Care 2003: 29(4)233-236)
Infertility
When there is no structural or anatomical cause infertility may also be helped by acupuncture, probably by regulating hormonal imbalances and also by relieving stress and anxiety, which can
affect hormone regulation. A study in Germany showed that while 26.3% of women treated with IVF conceived, adding acupuncture improved the success rate to 42.5% (Fertility and Sterility April 2002 (4):721-4).
We have developed a combined treatment technique utilising
nNEAP and
MBT (mindbody techniques) to improve
fertility and to enhance the chances of a successful pregnancy naturally and without invasive and hi-tech techniques. Please see the special section
Infertility.
PCOS and Endometriosis
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) can lead to infertility because women do not ovulate. Both clinical and laboratory studies suggest that a series of electroacupuncture treatments produces long lasting beneficial changes in the ovary and may stimulate ovulation. My clinical experience with endometriosis has been very encouraging, and I was very interested by a paper presented at the 4th International Medical Acupuncture Conference, Barcelona 2009 by a doctor from Puerto Rico who showed a success rate of 95% in relieving symptoms.
HRT and Menopausal problems - an alternative approach
I am regularly asked for acupuncture to help women manage menopausal problems with acupuncture rather than with medication.
Women are aware that studies such as the 'Million Women Study' found that combined oestrogen-progestogen therapy is twice as likely to lead to breast cancer compared with women who take no type of HRT, and women on oestrogen-only HRT are 30% more likely than non-users to develop breast cancer.
Although these are relative risks (in absolute terms there will be an extra 6 cases of breast cancer for every 1000 women using any form of HRT for 5 years) many women prefer to avoid medication or to use it as a last resort.
Combined HRT can also increase the risk of heart attacks by 29%, strokes by 41% and blood clots (DVT and pulmonary embolism) by 100%.
Using HRT for one year carries no increased odds of breast cancer, and as soon as treatment is stopped the increased risk of breast cancer declines and after 5 years is back to the same level as a non-user.
The German Commission on the Safety of Medicines published a report stating that the risks of HRT clearly outweigh the benefits. It recommended that doctors offer the treatment only to women with particularly severe menopausal symptoms. It also recommended that treatment be as short, and the doses as low, as possible.
The head of the commission called HRT a "national and international tragedy". He compared the use of HRT to the use of thalidomide and said that the "naive and careless use of medication that is perceived as natural and optimal" had caused many unnecessary deaths among women.
Although the risks have to be put into perspective, many women will not want to increase their risk of serious disease, and indeed, HRT does not suit everyone - rapid and substantial weight gain, increased body hair and depression are some of the commoner side effects.
Acupuncture and electroacupuncture
Acupuncture and electroacupuncture have both been shown to be very helpful in the management of hot flushes and other menopausal symptoms, and have no serious side effects (Menopause: Jnl of N American Menopause Soc 1995: 2 3-12). My impression is that electroacupuncture seems to be more effective than needle acupuncture for this.
Most studies for using acupuncture with menopausal problems has focused on alleviating hot flushes, but many patients also report a reduction in associated
- depression
- anxiety
- panic attacks
- palpitations
- insomnia
- tiredness and fatigue
- joint and muscle pains
I favour nNEAP because it seems to be more effective than needle acupuncture and to give a more lasting response. Acupuncture points on the body and on the ear are stimulated using a very gentle electrical pulse. The treatment takes 20-30 minutes and the effects build up over a few sessions. The average number of treatments is about 6, although some women will need more than this.
The effect of a series of treatments may last for several years, or may be permanent. Some women may need a booster treatment once or twice a year.
Male hot flushes
Some men who are having hormone treatment for prostate cancer may also develop hot flushes which can be extremely disturbing. In my experience these may be helped or relieved by acupuncture.
It is worth pointing out that acupuncture has also been shown to have a beneficial effect in the treatment of male infertility or subfertility. Two studies have shown an increase in sperm count and motility, and concluded that acupuncture may be a useful nontraumatic treatment for males with very poor sperm density, especially those with a history of genital tract inflammation. See our section on infertility.
