Vital News Article
Understanding Menopause
Menopause and Acupuncture in Belrose
Menopause is a natural stage of life that marks the end of a woman's reproductive years. It is officially diagnosed after 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period and most commonly occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, although the timing varies from person to person.
The years leading up to menopause, known as perimenopause, are often accompanied by fluctuating hormone levels that may contribute to a range of physical and emotional symptoms. While some women experience only mild changes, others find that menopause significantly affects their quality of life.
Common Symptoms of Menopause
Menopause affects every woman differently. Common symptoms may include:
If your symptoms are severe, persistently troublesome or affecting your daily life, it is important to discuss them with your GP or healthcare provider.
Understanding Menopause
Menopause occurs as the ovaries gradually produce lower levels of hormones, particularly oestrogen and progesterone. These hormonal changes can influence many body systems and may contribute to the symptoms experienced during this transition.
From a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, menopause is viewed as a natural life stage. Rather than focusing on a single symptom, practitioners consider your overall health, lifestyle, sleep, energy levels and individual pattern of symptoms when developing a treatment plan.
Acupuncture and Menopause
Many women choose acupuncture as part of their overall approach to managing menopausal symptoms.
Research investigating acupuncture for menopausal symptoms has reported encouraging findings for some women, particularly in relation to vasomotor symptoms such as hot flushes. However, study results are mixed, and further high-quality research is needed. Individual responses to treatment vary.
Before treatment begins, your practitioner will complete a comprehensive assessment to determine whether acupuncture is appropriate for your individual circumstances. Where necessary, referral to your GP or another healthcare professional may be recommended.
Chinese Herbal Medicine
Chinese herbal medicine is another therapy used within Traditional Chinese Medicine and may be considered as part of an individualised care plan.
Herbal prescriptions are tailored to each person's presentation following a detailed consultation. Research into Chinese herbal medicine for menopausal symptoms is ongoing. While some studies suggest potential benefits for certain symptoms, the evidence is still developing and further research is required.
Chinese herbal medicines should only be prescribed by a suitably qualified practitioner and may not be appropriate for everyone, particularly if you have certain medical conditions or are taking prescription medications.
Lifestyle Strategies During Menopause
Healthy lifestyle habits can play an important role in supporting wellbeing during menopause. Depending on your individual needs, your practitioner may discuss strategies such as:
These recommendations are intended to complement your overall healthcare and are tailored to your individual circumstances.
Our Approach at Vital Acupuncture & Massage
At Vital Acupuncture & Massage in Belrose, we provide personalised acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine care based on a thorough assessment of your health history, symptoms and treatment goals.
Our practitioners aim to support your health through evidence-informed practice and individualised care. Where appropriate, we work collaboratively with your GP and other healthcare providers to ensure your care is well coordinated.
Book an Appointment
If you're experiencing menopausal symptoms and would like to discuss whether acupuncture or Traditional Chinese Medicine may be appropriate for you, contact Vital Acupuncture & Massage in Belrose to arrange an assessment. We'll take the time to understand your individual needs and discuss the treatment options available within our scope of practice.
Research
1. Management of Menopause Symptoms with Acupuncture: An Umbrella Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (2018)
Befus D, et al.
This is one of the highest-quality reviews because it analysed multiple systematic reviews together with newer randomised controlled trials.
Key findings:
2. Effects of Acupuncture on Menopause-Related Symptoms and Quality of Life (2014)
Chiu HY, et al.
This meta-analysis evaluated randomised controlled trials involving women experiencing natural menopause.
Key findings:
3. Acupuncture for Vasomotor Menopausal Symptoms: A Systematic Review (2009)
Cho SH & Whang WW
Although older, this review is frequently cited.
Key findings:
4. Comparative Effectiveness of Different Acupuncture Therapies for Perimenopausal Syndrome (2025)
This recent network meta-analysis included 49 randomised controlled trials involving more than 4,500 women.
Key findings:
What does the evidence say overall?
A balanced summary suitable for an AHPRA-compliant website would be:
Current research suggests acupuncture may assist some women in managing menopausal symptoms, particularly hot flushes, night sweats and overall quality of life. However, study findings are mixed, and individual responses vary. Further high-quality research is needed to better understand its effectiveness and identify which women are most likely to benefit.
The years leading up to menopause, known as perimenopause, are often accompanied by fluctuating hormone levels that may contribute to a range of physical and emotional symptoms. While some women experience only mild changes, others find that menopause significantly affects their quality of life.
Common Symptoms of Menopause
Menopause affects every woman differently. Common symptoms may include:
- Hot flushes
- Night sweats
- Sleep disturbances
- Mood changes
- Increased irritability
- Anxiety
- Low mood
- Fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating or "brain fog"
- Joint and muscle aches
- Headaches
- Vaginal dryness
- Changes in libido
If your symptoms are severe, persistently troublesome or affecting your daily life, it is important to discuss them with your GP or healthcare provider.
Understanding Menopause
Menopause occurs as the ovaries gradually produce lower levels of hormones, particularly oestrogen and progesterone. These hormonal changes can influence many body systems and may contribute to the symptoms experienced during this transition.
From a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, menopause is viewed as a natural life stage. Rather than focusing on a single symptom, practitioners consider your overall health, lifestyle, sleep, energy levels and individual pattern of symptoms when developing a treatment plan.
Acupuncture and Menopause
Many women choose acupuncture as part of their overall approach to managing menopausal symptoms.
Research investigating acupuncture for menopausal symptoms has reported encouraging findings for some women, particularly in relation to vasomotor symptoms such as hot flushes. However, study results are mixed, and further high-quality research is needed. Individual responses to treatment vary.
Before treatment begins, your practitioner will complete a comprehensive assessment to determine whether acupuncture is appropriate for your individual circumstances. Where necessary, referral to your GP or another healthcare professional may be recommended.
Chinese Herbal Medicine
Chinese herbal medicine is another therapy used within Traditional Chinese Medicine and may be considered as part of an individualised care plan.
Herbal prescriptions are tailored to each person's presentation following a detailed consultation. Research into Chinese herbal medicine for menopausal symptoms is ongoing. While some studies suggest potential benefits for certain symptoms, the evidence is still developing and further research is required.
Chinese herbal medicines should only be prescribed by a suitably qualified practitioner and may not be appropriate for everyone, particularly if you have certain medical conditions or are taking prescription medications.
Lifestyle Strategies During Menopause
Healthy lifestyle habits can play an important role in supporting wellbeing during menopause. Depending on your individual needs, your practitioner may discuss strategies such as:
- Regular physical activity
- A balanced and nutritious diet
- Sleep hygiene
- Stress management
- Maintaining a healthy body weight
- Strategies to support general wellbeing
These recommendations are intended to complement your overall healthcare and are tailored to your individual circumstances.
Our Approach at Vital Acupuncture & Massage
At Vital Acupuncture & Massage in Belrose, we provide personalised acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine care based on a thorough assessment of your health history, symptoms and treatment goals.
Our practitioners aim to support your health through evidence-informed practice and individualised care. Where appropriate, we work collaboratively with your GP and other healthcare providers to ensure your care is well coordinated.
Book an Appointment
If you're experiencing menopausal symptoms and would like to discuss whether acupuncture or Traditional Chinese Medicine may be appropriate for you, contact Vital Acupuncture & Massage in Belrose to arrange an assessment. We'll take the time to understand your individual needs and discuss the treatment options available within our scope of practice.
Research
1. Management of Menopause Symptoms with Acupuncture: An Umbrella Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (2018)
Befus D, et al.
This is one of the highest-quality reviews because it analysed multiple systematic reviews together with newer randomised controlled trials.
Key findings:
- Acupuncture was associated with reductions in the frequency and severity of vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes and night sweats) when compared with no acupuncture.
- Improvements in menopause-related quality of life were also reported.
- When compared with sham acupuncture, the differences were smaller or not statistically significant, suggesting that non-specific treatment effects may contribute to the benefits observed.
2. Effects of Acupuncture on Menopause-Related Symptoms and Quality of Life (2014)
Chiu HY, et al.
This meta-analysis evaluated randomised controlled trials involving women experiencing natural menopause.
Key findings:
- Some evidence of improvement in menopause-related symptoms and quality of life.
- Evidence for reducing hot flash frequency and severity was mixed because of variation between studies.
- Authors concluded that further well-designed studies were needed.
3. Acupuncture for Vasomotor Menopausal Symptoms: A Systematic Review (2009)
Cho SH & Whang WW
Although older, this review is frequently cited.
Key findings:
- Some studies showed improvements in hot flushes within the acupuncture group.
- Most studies comparing acupuncture with sham acupuncture did not find a statistically significant difference.
- The authors concluded that evidence at that time was insufficient to draw firm conclusions.
4. Comparative Effectiveness of Different Acupuncture Therapies for Perimenopausal Syndrome (2025)
This recent network meta-analysis included 49 randomised controlled trials involving more than 4,500 women.
Key findings:
- Various acupuncture approaches were associated with improvements in menopausal symptoms.
- Some combined approaches (such as acupuncture alongside conventional medical care) ranked higher than acupuncture alone for certain outcomes.
- As with many network meta-analyses, the quality of the underlying studies varied, so the findings should be interpreted with caution.
What does the evidence say overall?
A balanced summary suitable for an AHPRA-compliant website would be:
Current research suggests acupuncture may assist some women in managing menopausal symptoms, particularly hot flushes, night sweats and overall quality of life. However, study findings are mixed, and individual responses vary. Further high-quality research is needed to better understand its effectiveness and identify which women are most likely to benefit.
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