For those bilaterally jonathan ayers idexx ovariectomized pre-menopausal women, the estradiol (E 2 )

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1 Sino-Britain Joint Laboratory, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China 2 Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, China 3 Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, Heilongjiang jonathan ayers idexx 150040, China 4 The First Affiliated jonathan ayers idexx Hospital, Liaoning University of Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, Liaoning 110032, China 5 Colorado School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1441 York Street, Denver, CO 80206, USA
The objective of this study is to explore the effects of acupuncture and auricular acupressure in relieving menopausal hot flashes of bilaterally ovariectomized Chinese women. Between May 2006 and March 2008, 46 bilaterally ovariectomized Chinese women were randomized into an acupuncture and auricular acupressure group ( n = 21) and a hormone replacement therapy (HRT) group (Tibolone, n = 25). Each patient was given a standard daily log and was required to record the frequency and severity of hot flashes and side effects of the treatment felt daily, jonathan ayers idexx from 1 week before the treatment started to the fourth week after the treatment ended. The serum levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), LH and E 2 were detected before and after the treatment. After the treatment and the follow-up, jonathan ayers idexx both the severity and frequency of hot flashes in the two groups were relieved significantly when compared with pre-treatment ( P <  .05). There was no significant difference in the severity jonathan ayers idexx of hot flashes between jonathan ayers idexx them after treatment ( P >  .05), while after the follow-up, the severity of hot flashes in the HRT group was alleviated jonathan ayers idexx more. After the treatment and the follow-up,

the frequency of menopausal hot flashes in the HRT group was reduced more ( P <  .05). After treatment, the levels of FSH decreased significantly and the levels of E 2 increased significantly in both groups ( P <  .05), and they changed more in the HRT group ( P <  .05). Acupuncture and auricular acupressure can be used as alternative treatments to relieve menopausal hot flashes for those bilaterally ovariectomized women who are unable or unwilling to receive HRT. 1. Introduction jonathan ayers idexx
Hot flashes occur in the vast majority of post-menopausal women [ 1 ]. An extensive questionnaire jonathan ayers idexx study of 506 women found that 87% had daily hot flashes [ 2 ]. Hot flashes are episodic and usually accompanied by nausea, dizziness, headache, palpitations, diaphoresis or night sweats [ 3 ]. Having hot flashes may decrease a woman's quality of life by decreasing the quality of sleep and aggravating jonathan ayers idexx fatigue and depression [ 4 , 5 ]. Menopausal hot flashes make most of women seek medical care during the menopausal transition [ 2 ]. Menopausal hot flashes are related to a psychological or mental disorder in menopausal women and the hormonal changes in these women may be the underlying mechanism [ 6 , 7 ].
For those bilaterally jonathan ayers idexx ovariectomized pre-menopausal women, the estradiol (E 2 ) contents in their serum were reduced by 80% [ 8 ]. The abrupt decline in E 2 usually leads to more frequent and severe jonathan ayers idexx menopausal symptoms, jonathan ayers idexx especially hot flashes. Menopausal hot flashes are also related to enhanced norepinephrine (NE) activity in the hypothalamus, resulting in an abrupt, transient, downward resetting of the normal thermoregulatory response set point [ 9 , 10 ]. Most of the bilaterally ovariectomized Chinese women have difficulty in stopping hormone replacement therapy (HRT) due to the severe menopausal symptoms. Although HRT historically has been used as the standard treatment for hot flashes [ 11 ], many women choose not to initiate or adhere to HRT because of its potential health risks and side effects [ 12 , 13 ]. In recent years, non-pharmacological jonathan ayers idexx alternative treatments are being requested by more bilaterally ovariectomized women to relieve their menopausal symptoms, especially menopausal hot flashes.

A study has demonstrated that acupuncture could induce accumulation of vaginal exfoliative cells, increase the weight of adrenal, and raise the level of serum corticosterone in ovariectomized model rats [ 14 ]. It is deduced that estrogen levels may be elevated using acupuncture to create compensatory hyperplasia of the adrenal cortex, thereby enhancing the transferring of androgen into estrogen in peripheral tissues [ 14 ]. In as early as 1995, the acupuncture's efficacy in relieving menopausal symptoms has been demonstrated [ 15 ]. Alternative jonathan ayers idexx and complementary therapies, jonathan ayers idexx including acupuncture, have been used increasingly in recent years to relieve menopausal symptoms [ 16 – 23 ], although one of them