Category: Gynaecology

Researchers in China have shown that the acupuncture point sanyinjiao (SP-6), traditionally used for a variety of gynaecological problems, does indeed have a specific and immediately beneficial effect on period pain.

Fifty-two women with period pain were each assigned to one of four groups: electroacupuncture at SP-6; electroacupuncture at a corresponding acupuncture point on the opposite side of the leg; elecroacupuncture at an adjacent non-acupuncture point; no acupuncture. They received 10 minutes treatment at a time when they scored their pain as 4/10 or greater, and a further 30 minutes treatment on the following two days. The SP-6 treatment group experienced highly significant reductions in pain scores, compared to the other groups.

(A Comparative Study on the Immediate Effects of Electroacupuncture at Sanyinjiao (SP-6), Xuanzhong (GB-39) and a Non-Meridian Point, on Menstrual Pain and Uterine Arterial Blood Flow, in Primary Dysmenorrhoea Patients. Pain Med, Oct 2010.)

British researchers have shown that acupuncture offers an effective way to manage the hot flushes and night sweats experienced by women taking tamoxifen for breast cancer.

Fifty patients with early breast cancer and who were taking tamoxifen, were given eight weekly, individualised traditional acupuncture treatments at an NHS cancer treatment centre in southern England. All the women were aged 35 or over, and had been taking tamoxifen for at least six months. By the end of treatment, the average frequency of hot flushes had been reduced by 49.8% compared with baseline. At 4 and 18 weeks after acupuncture ended, trends suggested longer term benefits aswell. The women also showed significant improvements in other areas of physical and emotional well-being.

The researchers comment that these results compare well with other studies using acupuncture to manage these symptoms, as well as research on non-hormonal pharmaceutical treatments. Few side-effects were reported, and further research is warranted into this approach, which offers breast cancer survivors choice in managing a chronic condition.

(Using Traditional Acupuncture for Breast Cancer-Related Hot Flashes and Night Sweats. Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine (Liebert), Oct 2010.)

Additionally, Norwegian researchers have followed up women taking similar medication and assessed them two years after they originally had acupuncture treatment for hot flushes: 41 women had previously received acupuncture, and 41 had received sham acupuncture as a control, given as 15 treatments over ten weeks.

Whilst women previously treated with sham acupuncture, reported that hot flushes were still a problem, those who had traditional Chinese acupuncture found flushes less problematic and generally had a more positive outlook on life.

(Quality of Life of Breast Cancer Patients Medicated with Anti-Estrogens, Two Years after Acupuncture Treatment. Int Journal of Womens Health. Sept 2010.)

Researchers in Brazil have shown acupuncture to be helpful for hot flushes and other menopausal symptoms. A total of 81 women were enrolled into a randomised, single-blind, controlled crossover trial. Group 1 received 12 months of true acupuncture treatment followed by 6 months of sham acupuncture. Group 2 received 6 months of sham acupuncture followed by 12 months of true acupuncture treatment.

After 6 months, women in Group 1 exhibited significantly lower hot flush and menopause symptom intensity scores compared to Group 2. At the 12 month point, scores were similar in both groups. After 18 months, scores for women in Group 2 were lower than those for women in Group 1.

(Acupuncture-ameliorated Menopausal Symptoms: Single-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomised Trial. Climacteric Journal May 2010. Epub ahead of print.)

A systematic review of twenty-seven randomised controlled trials studying acupuncture for painful periods, and examining data from nearly 3000 women, has shown that compared with drug treatment or herbal medicine, acupuncture was associated with a significant reduction in pain. Overall, twelve studies concluded that acupuncture was more effective than pharmacological treatment. With respect to acupuncture style, studies using traditional acupuncture reported significantly better results than the herbal medicine groups in three trials. The author says that although the evidence is promising, more trials are called for to improve on flaws in those reviewed.

(Acupuncture for primary dysmenorrhoea: a systematic review. British Journal of Gynaecology, 8 March 2010.)

American researchers have found that acupuncture is just as effective as drugs in preventing hot flushes during breast cancer treatment using long-term oestrogen-antagonist therapy. Moreover, they also found that acupuncture improved both their sex drive and overall sense of well-being.

Fifty patients were randomly assigned to receive twelve weeks of either acupuncture or standard drug treatment (in this case, venlafaxine). Both groups were found to exhibit significant decreases in hot flushes and depressive symptoms, together with improvements in mental health and quality of life. At follow-up two weeks after treatment had ended, the venlafaxine group were experiencing significant increases in hot flushes, whereas those in the acupuncture group remained low. Further, the drug treatment group reported 18 incidences of adverse effects (nausea, dry mouth, dizziness, anxiety), compared with the acupuncture group which reported none. Acupuncture had the additional benefit of increasing sex drive in some women, and most reported improvements in their energy, clarity of thought and general well-being.

The authors conclude that acupuncture appears to be equivalent to drug therapy in these patients. It is a safe, effective and durable treatment for vasomotor symptoms secondary to long-term oestrogen-antagonist use.

(Acupuncture versus Venlafaxine for the Management of Vasomotor Symptoms in Patients with Hormone-Receptor Positive Breast Cancer: A Randomised Controlled Trial. Journal of Clinical Oncology Feb 2010.)