Years before the menstrual cycle stops, women may start to experience major physical, mental or emotional changes. Even though these symptoms can disrupt your life, there is relief available. While many women turn to hormone replacement therapy, many more are starting to seek out alternative treatments. Let’s take a look at what you need to know about perimenopause and acupuncture.
Perimenopause is the time prior to menopause when a woman’s body starts to slowly shift away from preparing for pregnancy every month. This stage preceding menopause can start as early as the mid 30’s for some women. The length of this transitional period averages from three to four years, according to Harvard Medical School. But even though this is the average time frame, some women may only experience perimenopause for a few months, while others have symptoms for up to a decade.
As you go through this transition time before menopause, your hormones fluctuate. Estrogen and progesterone decrease, leading to symptoms such as missed periods, changes in menstrual cycle length, hot flashes, mood changes (including anxiety, irritability or depression), insomnia or a change in period flow. Along with these symptoms, some women also experience hair loss and weight gain. Regardless of how uncomfortable perimenopausal symptoms might be, there is no stopping it. But there are ways to mitigate the symptoms.
Hot flashes and night sweats are among the most disruptive and troublesome symptoms of perimenopause. Triggered by hormonal fluctuations and shifts in the body’s temperature, these sudden sensations of intense heat and flushing can happen day or night, disrupting sleep and daily activities. The resulting sudden sensations of intense heat, flushing, sweating and chills can strike at any time, interrupting sleep, work and daily activities.
Up to 80% of women experience hot flashes and night sweats during the menopausal transition, with symptoms often beginning during perimenopause. While hormone therapy can provide relief, many women prefer non-hormonal treatment options. This is where acupuncture shows remarkable promise in managing these stubborn symptoms. Studies have shown that regular acupuncture treatments can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes and night sweats in perimenopausal women. This is attributed to acupuncture’s ability to modulate neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine and β-endorphin levels. When acupuncture needles are inserted into the body, the target is the neurochemical pathways involved in thermoregulation, “resetting” the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the body that becomes elevated during a hot flash episode.
The drop in estrogen levels around perimenopause doesn’t just affect the body. It can take an emotional toll too. Lower estrogen has been linked to increased irritability, mood swings, anxiety and even depression in some women. Studies suggest acupuncture can help stabilize mood by regulating neurotransmitters like serotonin and endorphins, while decreasing inflammation that may contribute to emotional disturbances.
That feeling of mental cloudiness known as “brain fog” or poor memory is a common symptom, likely triggered by hormonal shifts impacting cognition, sleep and memory. According to various studies, acupuncture can help improve cognitive function and alleviate brain fog during perimenopause by regulating hormone levels and enhancing blood flow to the brain. The insertion of fine needles at specific points on the body is believed to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes and restore balance to the hormonal system.
The combination of hot flashes, night sweats and hormonal shifts can majorly disrupt a woman’s sleep quality during perimenopause. Yet getting quality sleep is crucial for overall health and longevity. Insomnia increases the chances of more serious conditions such as diabetes and heart disease as well as mood changes, foggy thinking, weight gain and metabolic syndrome. Multiple studies show acupuncture treatments may enhance sleep by increasing melatonin production, reducing waking at night and ensuring a good night’s sleep.
When perimenopause occurs, levels of estrogen and other hormones involved in regulating inflammation can become erratic. These hormonal fluctuations can contribute to systemic inflammation throughout the body, causing joint pain as well as weakened connective tissue and aging skin. While inflammation is a natural immune response (fever), chronic inflammation is not a healthy response and can cause a spiral of perimenopausal symptoms.
Research shows acupuncture helps to release natural anti-inflammatory compounds like proteins and opioids that counteract excess inflammation. After inserting the acupuncture needles into specific points in the body, they trigger the release of proteins and opioids that have potent anti-inflammatory effects. These natural compounds help counteract inflammation by reducing proinflammatory molecules like cytokines and prostaglandins.
Lastly, proper blood circulation is essential for overall health and well-being. Blood transports vital nutrients, oxygen and hormones to every cell and tissue in the body. During perimenopause, compromised blood flow can impede the transport and regulation of reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone. Acupuncture is thought to positively influence the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis that controls reproductive hormone production. This can help normalize levels of estrogen, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone and other key hormones disrupted during perimenopause.
Studies show that acupuncture can significantly improve blood flow and circulation in several ways. First, it prompts a biochemical response that increases blood flow in the treated areas. This improved circulation helps nourish and oxygenate the cells and tissues, while also facilitating the efficient removal of metabolic waste products and carbon dioxide.
Acupuncture also stimulates the release of nitric oxide and other vasodilators that relax and widen blood vessels. This dilation reduces vascular resistance and enhances overall blood flow throughout the body, including to vital organs like the ovaries. With increased ovarian blood flow, the transportation and uptake of hormones are optimized, which may help support hormone regulation during the perimenopausal transition phase.
Unlike medications and hormone therapy, acupuncture comes with very few health-related risks. Some of the potential risks of hormone therapy include stroke, heart attack, blood clots, gallbladder disease and some types of cancer, according to the Cleveland Clinic. These risks vary depending on the woman’s age, health history, dosage and type of hormone therapy. So if you’re looking for an alternative way to manage the perimenopause transition or you have found that medical methods don’t work out for you, acupuncture is an option worth exploring.