Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Acupuncture More Effective Than Drugs to Treat Hot Flashes

Researchers reported Monday that acupuncture outperformed the drug Effexor, aka venlafaxine, to treat hot flashes and other symptoms due to menopause or breast cancer treatment.

Acupuncture was just as effective as the pharmaceutical to treat hot flashes and night sweats, and its effects were longer-lasting and free of side effects, according to researchers at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

Patients who received acupuncture for an additional 15 weeks after treatment, while participants in the pharmaceutical group experienced the return of symptoms when they stopped taking the drug.

Researchers acknowledged that the acupuncture treatment was more effective and, in the long run, would be more cost effective for insurance companies. Although research still hasn't uncovered the specific mechanism of acupuncture's action, U.S. researchers are finally acknowledging the effectiveness of this centuries-old system of medicine.

No comments: