Complementary Therapies
Combining other therapies with complementary treatments or using them in isolation can also help to manage symptoms as well as overall health and wellbeing.
For example:
- Acupuncture: Courses of acupuncture have shown to have some success in reducing the frequency of hot flushes, sweating, mood swings, sleep disturbance, skin and hair problems during menopause.
- Reflexology: Reflexology can help in a number of ways, from relaxation and tension relief to helping improve your mood.
- Alexander technique: Drawing on the idea that posture can have an overall impact on health and wellbeing, Alexander technique is a lifestyle habit that many adopt for long-term wellbeing. It can help with menopause as it helps to strengthen your core muscles and generally support health.
- Hypnosis: Some people find hypnosis helpful during menopause. For example, focusing on cooling imagery may allow for greater control over hot flushes it was reported in Psychology Today.
- Aromatherapy: With the right essential oils, aromatherapy can generally help to relieve stress and tension - especially if it’s used as part of a massage!
- Homeopathy: Helping the body to help itself - some people find homeopathic remedies to be helpful. If you are taking anything you should consult a doctor first, especially if you are combining it with other medication.
- Ayurveda: The National Institute of Health has done some studies into the effectiveness of Ayurvedic therapies on menopausal symptoms. They found a ‘highly significant’ reduction in symptoms when combined with medications. Read more here.
References
NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/types/
MHRA in the UK: https://thebms.org.uk/publications/consensus-statements/bioidentical-hrt/
Study in 2019: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/aug/26/menopause-experts-say-compounded-hrt-is-unsafe
National Institutes of Health: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4389700/
Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/women-autism-spectrum-disorder/202005/can-hypnotherapy-help-me-during-menopause
Read more here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3665193/
