MENOPAUSE

BOOK NOW

ACUPUNCTURE & MENOPAUSE

As someone of menopause age, I subscribe to both the ‘second spring’ and the ‘this is hell on earth - what is happening?!’ way of thinking depending on the day! I recommend everyone watch The Change’ on Channel 4 by Bridget Christie where she can’t remember the word for toe, so calls it a foot finger. There’s now a lot more pauses in my conversations. What has saved me is putting needles in myself for all my hot flushes, insomnia, brain fog and rage- although I also think harnessing the rage is the way forward!

A small 2019 study found that one weekly acupuncture treatment for 5 weeks reduced hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, and sleep disruptions in people dealing with menopause symptoms.

While the researchers couldn’t rule out the placebo effect in their study, they also concluded acupuncture provided a quick and meaningful reduction in symptoms for the participants without severe adverse effects.

There are several symptoms of menopause that acupuncture may help with.

  • Chinese medicine is rooted in yin and yang theory, the idea that all things are composed of two opposite forces; if they are in balance then we are healthy. As we get older our yin depletes, especially kidney yin leading to and imbalance in the Fire/Water axis resulting in heat. Nourishing the kidneys is the first port of call with hot flashes.

  • The American College of Physicians recommends acupuncture for those managing lower back pain. Using acupuncture needles at pressure points in the body can stimulate the central nervous system, causing it to release pain-relieving chemicals, such as endorphins. These can help alleviate aches associated with menopause.

    One 2019 study on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acupuncture for insomnia in people who had experienced cancer found that, while CBT was more effective, acupuncture still showed clinically significant results.

  • A 2013 research review found that acupuncture can alter neurotransmitters in the brain to alleviate conditions such as anxiety and nervousness, improving overall mood.

  • Acupuncture may help increase blood flow and reduce blood pressure in your body, which can reduce fatigue-inducing stress on muscles like the heart.

    A 2017 study found that acupuncture was effective at reducing cancer-related fatigue. A research review from the same year found that acupuncture and moxibustion, which involves applying burning herbs to acupuncture points, may be effective at treating chronic fatigue syndrome. More research is necessary to confirm this.

  • Hormonal imbalances during menopause can reduce the natural fluid production in the vagina, leading to dryness and pain during sex. Needles inserted in acupuncture points can sometimes help stimulate the release of neurochemicals that can counteract imbalances.

what people are saying

  • Thank you Anna for saving me from myself and setting me back on the right path during my menopause. I thought I was going mad when the symptoms first kicked in and the insomnia was horrific. Now I feel like I’ve come out the other side and am weirdly enjoying it now I can sleep, not hot flushing all the time and can remember my name!

    - Lexie

  • IVF has been such a tough journey and I am so glad I met you at the beginning of it. Your experience of the whole process, kindness and expertise was invaluable. We love Megan so much - thank you for helping her get here.

    - Rosina

  • I am so eternally grateful for your treatments and care, without which I am certain my daughter wouldn't be here today.

    - Lizzie

My studios

  • A massage or examination bed covered with a white sheet and purple velvet covering, with a plaid pillow on top, positioned in a cozy room with wall decorations including framed artwork, a colorful world map, a map of the El Camino de Santiago, and a tall decorative plant with red leaves in a striped vase.

    My home studio

  • Front entrance door with white frame, decorative glass panel, house number 380 on gray plaque, black lantern-style wall light, railing, and brown textured walls.

    my home studio

  • front door with a sign that reads 'The Snug Therapy' outside and a curtainless screen door leading inside to a wooden floor and a massage table.

    the snug @ Dumbreck

  • A massage table with a gray cover and a burgundy pillow on top, set up indoors on a wooden floor, with a colorful area rug underneath and a cabinet with decorative items, plants, and framed pictures behind it.

    the snug @ Dumbreck