How Does Acupuncture Help with Perimenopause and Menopause?
How Acupuncture Treats 15 Common Perimenopause and Menopause Symptoms
If you’re navigating perimenopause, menopause, or post-menopause, it can feel like you’ve dropped through the looking glass some days. There are so many symptoms, they’re unpredictable, and sometimes just downright weird. And although we’re getting better as a society about talking about them, there is still a lot of stigma and there are plenty of people who are more than happy to dismiss your concerns.
Not here! Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine offer time-tested, evidence-supported tools to ease this transition naturally. Here are 15 of the more common symptoms we see in the treatment room, along with some of the clinical studies that point to acupuncture as a viable treatment option.
Don’t see your chief concern in this list? Contact us so we can explore it together — and hopefully send it packing!
1 - Hot Flashes (and their lesser-known friend, Cold Flashes)
Ah, yes. The celebrity in the menopausal symptom constellation. Comes out of nowhere, makes you feel either like you’re going to cook or freeze, and they especially like to show up when you’re presenting at a meeting or trying to finally get a good night’s sleep.
The Good News: Regular acupuncture significantly reduces both the frequency and severity of hot flashes.
The Research:
o Ee et al. (2016), Annals of Internal Medicine: 36.7% reduction in hot flash frequency at 6 months.
o Chiu et al. (2015), meta-analysis: Effect size g ≈ -0.35 to -0.55 for symptom reduction.
2 - Night Sweats
Because there’s nothing more rejuvenating than waking up in soaked PJ’s at 2 am! Sleep disruption and extra laundry for the win!
The Good News: Acupuncture can help calm the autonomic nervous system, reducing night sweats and alleviating a major sleep disruption.
The Research:
o Avis et al. (2016), Menopause: >30% decrease in frequency.
o Ee et al. (2016): Improvements in night sweats in AIM study.
3 - Insomnia
Sleep is so important and yet can be so elusive during peri-menopause and menopause, making all the other symptoms feel even more challenging.
The Good News: Acupuncture improves sleep quality, reduces time to fall asleep, and promotes deeper rest.
The Research:
o Huang et al. (2011), Menopause: Notable improvements in sleep scores.
o Yeung et al. (2012), RCT: Improved PSQI and sleep duration.
4 - Anxiety
We live in anxious times. We’re overstimulated, overscheduled, overworked… and so we worry and churn and feel fear. And now our hormones are going bananas so we get to do all of that, but even more.
The Good News: By regulating the nervous system, acupuncture helps calm anxiety during hormonal shifts.
The Research:
o Wang et al. (2018), Medicine (Baltimore): Significant anxiety reduction.
o Ee et al. (2015), meta-analysis: Improvements in psychological subscale.
5 - Depression
People in peri menopause and menopause often report feeling flat, muted, or less like themselves and as with anxiety, this can be related to the dramatic surges and drop-offs of hormones.
The Good News: Acupuncture helps lift mood and balance hormones that affect emotional well-being.
The Research:
o Kim et al. (2018), RCT: Reduction in depressive symptoms.
o Stener-Victorin et al. (2009): Hormonal modulation observed with acupuncture.
6 - Fatigue
Just. So. Tired. Maybe it’s the poor sleep, maybe it’s the crime scene periods, maybe it’s juggling the job and the home and the aging parents and the babies (furry and human)… and it’s also definitely the hormones.
The Good News: Acupuncture restores energy, improves stamina, and supports adrenal function.
The Research:
o Chiu et al. (2015): Fatigue reduction via acupuncture.
o Australian Menopause Centre: Clinical improvement in energy.
7 - Irritability
Who, me? Irritable? It’s very hard when you’re the only good driver on the road, the only one who can do the thing at work, the only one who can keep track of everyone’s schedules, and — WHY ARE YOU TOUCHING ME?? Oof, people who were never particularly moody or prone to anger may suddenly be getting in touch with that emotion, whether they want to or not.
The Good News: Acupuncture regulates hormones and soothes the nervous system to reduce mood swings.
The Research:
o Sunay et al. (2011): Emotional regulation benefits.
o Ee et al. (2015): MRS subscale improvements.
8 - Brain Fog
Those tasks that were once so simple now seem impossible and take forever to complete. Running late? God only knows where you last put the car keys. Discovering that if you don’t write it down, you don’t remember it? Yeah, it’s all brain fog, which sounds a lot more romantic than it is.
The Good News: Acupuncture enhances mental clarity and memory through improved blood and Qi flow.
The Research:
o Wang et al. (2012), Neuroscience Letters: Cognitive function improved.
o Ee et al. (2015): Improvements in cognition-related symptoms.
9 - Headaches
Those hormones are powerful, aren’t they? They impact all parts of your system, and the ups and downs can also trigger pretty intense headaches.
The Good News: Acupuncture reduces frequency and severity of migraines and tension headaches.
The Research:
o Linde et al. (2016), Cochrane Review: Significant reduction in headache frequency.
o Ee et al. (2015): Somatic symptom improvement.
10 - Joint and Muscle Pain
One day you can jump out of bed not even thinking about your ankles, knees, back, hips, and shoulders. And then there’s perimenopause, always happy to remind you that you are in fact getting older - and so are all your parts. The pain may be related to an old injury or it may be a whole new thing, but be assured that acupuncture is fantastic for pain management.
The Good News: Acupuncture helps reduce inflammation and improve joint mobility.
The Research:
o Crew et al. (2007): Relief in aromatase inhibitor-related joint pain.
o Australian case series: Consistent pain relief in menopausal patients.
11 - Palpitations
It can be terribly unnerving to become aware of your heart beating. It tends to happen a lot when people are also unable to sleep, so that’s a rough combination. If you’re feeling palpitations or chest discomfort, make sure you’re familiar with how heart attacks present in women. If you’re not sure, and especially if you have a sense of foreboding or doom, get checked out right away. And then come for acupuncture.
The Good News: Acupuncture regulates the autonomic nervous system and calms the heart.
The Research:
o Li et al. (2015): HRV improvement with acupuncture.
o Grille et al. (1989): Symptom relief in menopausal palpitations.
12 - Vaginal Dryness
Loss of estrogen can lead to vaginal dryness and atrophy. It’s not just uncomfortable, it’s not just an issue related to sex. It can lead to bigger issues, including painful intercourse, greater risk of UTI’s and incontinence. Read our article about the new guidance regarding Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM) to learn more, because there are both western and eastern medical interventions that can help.
The Good News: Acupuncture helps nourish fluids and restore tissue health.
The Research:
o Stener-Victorin et al. (1999): Improvements in dryness with acupuncture.
o Ee et al. (2015): Urogenital subscale improvements noted.
13 - Low Libido
You’re feeling pretty out of sorts. Your body’s up to all kinds of weird shenanigans, you can’t sleep, you’re deep breathing is barely keeping your temper at bay, and your libido has seemingly gone on sabbatical — without you.
The Good News: Acupuncture restores vitality and balances hormones linked to sexual function.
The Research:
o Khamba & Nguyen (2021): Improved sexual function with acupuncture.
o Chinese herbal studies: Enhanced libido and hormonal regulation.
14 - Weight Management
Remember when you had a metabolism? You’re watching your diet, you’re exercising, and good grief, the protein. So. Much. Protein. But the scale rarely moves, and when it does. it’s usually in the wrong direction.
The Good News: Acupuncture supports digestion, reduces inflammation, and aids metabolism.
The Research:
o Zhang et al. (2014): Neuroendocrine modulation through acupuncture.
o Menopause Centre: Clinical improvements in metabolism-related symptoms.
15 - Digestive Issues
Yeah, of course poop becomes problematic now, too. You might be experiencing changes to your stools, where they’re more loose or dry than usual. You might notice more bloating or sensitivity to foods that weren’t an issue before. Maybe after meals, you’ve got a gurgling symphony to accompany you for an hour or two. Because acupuncture it all about regulating your system, we can help with gut stuff, too.
The Good News: Acupuncture and herbs regulate GI function, easing bloating and constipation.
The Research:
o Zheng et al. (2009): Improved GI motility.
o Herbal medicine data: Enhanced digestive comfort in climacteric women.