OBJECTIVE:
Women taking tamoxifen experience hot flashes and night sweats (HF&NS); acupuncture may offer a nonpharmaceutical method of management.
Dr. Tony Willcox giving a lecture in BoZhou, China with Professor Yang Jun
INTERVENTIONS:
Participants received weekly individualized TA treatment using a core standardized protocol for treating HF&NS in natural menopause.
OUTCOME MEASURES:
Hot Flash Diaries recorded HF&NS frequency over 14-day periods; the Women’s Health Questionnaire (WHQ) assessed physical and emotional well-being; the Hot Flashes and Night Sweats Questionnaire (HFNSQ) assessed HF&NS as a problem. Measurements taken at five points over 30 weeks included baseline, mid-treatment, end of treatment (EOT), and 4 and 18 weeks after EOT. Results for the primary outcome: Mean frequency reduced by 49.8% (95% confidence interval 40.5-56.5, p < 0.0001, n = 48) at EOT over baseline. Trends indicated longer-term effects at 4 and 18 weeks after EOT.
CONCLUSION:
These results compare favorably with other studies using acupuncture to manage HF&NS, as well as research on non-hormonal pharmaceutical treatments. In addition to reduced HF&NS frequency, women enjoyed improved physical and emotional well-being, and few side-effects were reported. Further research is warranted in this approach, which offers breast cancer survivors’ choice in managing a chronic condition.
Resources
1- Using traditional acupuncture for breast cancer-related hot flashes and night sweats.
de Valois BA, Young TE, Robinson N, McCourt C, Maher EJ.
Acupuncture Delray Beach with Dr. Tony Willcox has had extensive training in Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine. Dr. Tony Willcox trained in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, earning an Academic Excellence Award. Subsequently, he completed a Clinical Doctorate there. Later, he pursued a double doctorate and PhD in Acupuncture at Anhui University, Hefei, China, under renowned Professor Yang Jun.