Acupuncture for Menopause
Menopause can be a challenging and often confusing transition, bringing with it a wide range of physical and emotional symptoms. Many women experience hot flushes, night sweats, disrupted sleep, low mood, anxiety, joint pain, brain fog, or changes in bone health, sometimes all at once. These symptoms can affect daily life, energy levels and overall wellbeing.
Acupuncture is increasingly used to support women through peri- and post-menopause by helping the body regulate itself more effectively during this time of change, offering a gentle, holistic approach to managing symptoms and supporting long-term health.
How does acupuncture help menopausal symptoms?
Research suggests that acupuncture works by influencing the nervous system and the body’s natural chemical messengers involved in pain, temperature regulation, mood and stress. Acupuncture has been shown to support the release of endorphins (the body’s natural “feel-good” chemicals), help regulate stress hormones such as cortisol, and influence brain areas involved in sleep, emotional regulation and temperature control. Together, these effects help explain why acupuncture can ease symptoms such as hot flushes, anxiety, sleep disturbance and physical discomfort during menopause.
Hot flushes and night sweats affect around 70% of women during menopause and are one of the most studied areas in acupuncture research. A review of 12 studies involving 869 women found that acupuncture significantly reduced the frequency and severity of hot flushes, while also improving mood, physical symptoms, urogenital symptoms and overall quality of life.
Sleep problems are another common concern. A review of studies in post-menopausal women found that around 75% reported improvements in sleep following acupuncture treatment.
Research has also explored acupuncture’s role in supporting bone health after menopause. A large review including over 3,000 participants found that certain forms of acupuncture were associated with improvements in bone density, reductions in pain, and beneficial changes in markers related to bone metabolism.
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