OBJECTIVE To investigate the feasibility of conducting a randomized trial of the effect of acupuncture in decreasing hot flashes in peri- and postmenopausal women. DESIGN Fifty-six women ages 44 to 55 with no menses in the past 3 months and at least four hot flashes per day were recruited from two clinical centers and randomized to one of three treatment groups: usual care (n = 19), sham acup...

BACKGROUND Evidence on the impact of expectancy on acupuncture treatment response is conflicting. OBJECTIVES This secondary analysis of a randomized sham-controlled trial on acupuncture for menopausal hot flashes investigated whether treatment expectancy score was associated with hot flash score at end-of-treatment. Secondary analyses investigated whether there were associations between other...

Hot flash is among the most common complaints of menopausal women, affecting their career, social activities and quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Valerian on hot flashes in menopausal women. In this double blind clinical trial, 68 menopausal women with the chief complaint of hot flash were enrolled using sampling at hand and were randomly divided into drug and pla...

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to establish the sternal skin conductance level (SCL) increase that would optimally detect hot flashes among breast cancer patients. METHODS Fifty-six women who had completed a similar treatment protocol for a first diagnosis of breast cancer within the previous 3 months wore an ambulatory sternal skin conductance device for one home-based daytime recording of hot f...

OBJECTIVE To determine whether hot flashes, depressed mood, sleep, cognitive and sexual symptoms correlate with urinary follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estrone (E(1)G), and testosterone (T) and with each other during the menopausal transition and early postmenopause (PM). METHODS Forty-one women who transitioned from middle or late transition stage to PM rated symptoms and provided monthl...

Hot flashes can be a major problem for patients with a history of breast cancer. The precipitation of menopause in premenopausal women who undergo chemotherapy for breast cancer can lead to the rapid onset of hot flash symptoms that are more frequent and more severe than those associated with natural menopause. In addition, tamoxifen, historically the most commonly prescribed pharmacologic agen...

Hot flashes are a common experience for menopausal women, with an 85-percent incidence in the West. With the increased knowledge of side effects attributable to conventional treatment options, more women are exploring natural alternatives. Although more definitive research is necessary, several natural therapies show promise in treating hot flashes without the risks associated with conventional...

PURPOSE Up to 75% of women experience hot flashes, which can negatively impact quality of life. As hot flash physiology is not definitively understood, it cannot be assumed that effective agents represent class effects. Therefore, there is a continued need for rigorous evaluation to identify effective nonhormonal options for hot flash relief. METHODS A randomized, double-blind trial evaluated...

UNLABELLED Vasomotor flushes are common complaints of women during and after menopause, affecting about 75 percent of this population. Estrogen therapy is the most effective treatment for hot flashes. However, there are a significant number of women who have contraindications or choose not to use estrogen due to potential risks such as breast cancer and thromboembolic disorders. These women nee...