Researchers from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center tested 209 women between 45 and 60 years old with a history of hot ashes and/ or night sweats. After up to 20 treatments over six months, the women receiving acupuncture reported a 37 percent reduction in hot ashes, while the control group saw a 6 percent in- crease. The symptom relief among the women treated with acupuncture persisted for a year.

The researchers also found that the acupuncture group experienced an improvement in several menopausal quality of life measurements. Nancy Avis, Ph.D., a professor of public health sciences at Wake Forest University and lead author of the study, says, “There are a number of nonhormonal options for treating hot ashes and night sweats that are available to women. None seem to work for everyone, but our study showed that acupuncture from a licensed acupuncturist can help some women without any side effects. It also showed that the maximum bene t occurred after about eight treatments.”