Does acupuncture help menopause hot flashes?

Acupuncture eases hot flashes compared with doing nothing, but in the better-controlled trials it worked no better than sham acupuncture, and the 2023 North American Menopause Society position statement lists it as not recommended for hot flashes. Hormone therapy remains the most effective treatment, and several non-hormone options have stronger evidence. If you choose acupuncture, it is best treated as a comfort measure alongside your medical care, not a replacement for it.

Acupuncture reduces hot flashes when it is compared with no treatment at all, but when researchers compare it with sham acupuncture, the difference disappears. That pattern is why the North American Menopause Society, in its 2023 statement on non-hormone treatments, does not recommend acupuncture for hot flashes. We would rather you hear that from us before you book than after six sessions.

What the hot flash trials actually found

The short version: real acupuncture and pretend acupuncture perform about the same, and both beat waiting. The larger reviews and the best-designed trial line up on this.

Study	Who and how many	What it compared	Result
Cochrane review, 2013	16 trials, 1,155 women	Acupuncture vs sham, no treatment, hormone therapy, relaxation	No significant difference from sham for hot flush frequency; better than no treatment; less effective than hormone therapy
Ee et al., Annals of Internal Medicine, 2016	327 women with at least 7 moderate hot flashes a day	10 needle treatments over 8 weeks vs non-insertive sham	Hot flash scores almost identical at the end of treatment; no serious adverse events
Review summarized by NCCIH, 2018	19 studies, about 1,800 participants	Acupuncture vs no acupuncture and vs sham	Better than no acupuncture for frequency and severity; not better than sham
AIM pragmatic trial, 2016	209 women aged 45 to 60	Up to 20 treatments over 6 months vs a waiting list	Hot flash frequency fell 36.7% with acupuncture and rose 6% on the waiting list

The Cochrane authors judged the evidence low or very low quality and concluded there was not enough to say whether acupuncture works for vasomotor symptoms. The Australian trial by Ee and colleagues is the cleanest test: participants, assessors and investigators were blinded, and the sham needles did not pierce the skin. At the end of eight weeks, the two groups were separated by a fraction of a point.

Why “better than nothing, no better than sham” matters to you

It means something real is happening, but it is probably not the needle placement. Lying still in a quiet room, being listened to, and expecting relief can all reduce how often hot flashes are noticed and how much they bother you. The AIM trial, which compared acupuncture with a waiting list rather than a sham, found the benefit lasted at least six months after treatment ended. That is meaningful for the people in it, yet the design cannot tell us how much came from the needles themselves.

For a decision about your own care, that leaves two honest conclusions:

• Acupuncture is not a treatment we can recommend specifically to stop hot flashes.
• Some people still choose it because the sessions feel calming, and that is a reasonable choice as long as it does not delay treatments that work better.

What has stronger evidence, to raise with your doctor

Hormone therapy is still the most effective treatment for hot flashes, according to the 2023 Menopause Society statement, and it should be considered for women within 10 years of their final period. For people who cannot or prefer not to use hormones, for example after an estrogen-dependent cancer or with cardiovascular disease, the statement recommends these non-hormone options on good and consistent evidence:

• cognitive-behavioural therapy
• clinical hypnosis
• certain antidepressants (SSRIs and SNRIs)
• gabapentin
• fezolinetant

It also lists oxybutynin, weight loss and stellate ganglion block with somewhat weaker support. Several popular approaches land on the not-recommended list beside acupuncture: paced breathing, herbal supplements, soy products, yoga, exercise and cooling techniques, none recommended specifically for hot flashes, even where they help with other things. Your family doctor or a menopause clinic can go through which of the recommended options suit your health history.

If you decide to try acupuncture anyway

Go in with a plan and a way to measure it. Hot flashes come and go on their own, so a diary is the only fair test.

1. Count for two weeks before you start. Note how many hot flashes and night sweats you have each day and rate the worst one.
2. Keep counting during treatment. The trials ran 8 weeks to 6 months, so judge after a set number of sessions, not after one.
3. Decide in advance what counts as worth it. If the numbers have not moved, stop and spend the money elsewhere.
4. Keep your doctor informed. Do not stop or change prescribed treatment without talking to them.

Safety is rarely the issue. NCCIH notes that serious complications are uncommon and that acupuncture needles are regulated as medical devices that must be sterile and labelled for single use. The 327-woman Australian trial reported no serious adverse events.

How acupuncture works at Renu

At Renu, acupuncture is provided by Dr. Will Tanner, a Registered Massage Therapist and acupuncturist. If you book for menopause symptoms, Will starts with a 90-minute initial consultation and treatment ($150), which leaves time to talk through your symptoms, sleep and medications. Fine, sterile, single-use needles are placed at chosen points and left in place while you rest. Return visits are 60 minutes ($120), and a 45-minute follow-up ($85) is also offered. Some people pair needles with massage in a 90-minute combination session ($167).

We will not tell you acupuncture will stop your hot flashes, because the evidence above does not support that. What we can offer is an unhurried hour, a practitioner who will ask how you are sleeping and coping, and a clear agreement to review your diary after a few sessions. Booking is through Jane, and the clinic is open seven days, with weekday appointments until 8:30 pm for anyone fitting sessions around work. Our page on how many sessions before you notice a difference explains how we pace a course, and acupuncture coverage in Alberta covers benefits plans and receipts.

When to see your doctor first

Some symptoms that arrive with menopause need a medical opinion rather than a needle. The NHS advises seeing a doctor if you have:

• any vaginal bleeding after 12 months without a period, even once
• periods that are becoming heavier rather than lighter
• heart palpitations
• symptoms that are affecting your daily life and you want to discuss treatment

Postmenopausal bleeding is usually not serious, but it can be an early sign of cancer, which is easier to treat when found early. If you have had breast cancer or another hormone-sensitive condition, talk to your oncology team before starting anything new for hot flashes, including acupuncture. If you want to know what a first appointment involves, read what to do before and after an acupuncture session and whether acupuncture needles are single-use.

Questions people ask

Can acupuncture help night sweats as well as daytime hot flashes?

Night sweats are hot flashes that happen during sleep, so the same evidence applies to both. Trials that counted all hot flashes found acupuncture no better than sham needling. Some people still find a session relaxing, but it is not a proven way to cut the number of night sweats.

Is acupuncture an option if I cannot take hormone therapy after breast cancer?

It is safe for most people, but the evidence is mixed and the trials that pooled women with and without breast cancer gave inconsistent results. The 2023 Menopause Society statement names several non-hormone treatments with better evidence, so raise those with your oncology team first. If you add acupuncture for comfort, tell your practitioner about your cancer history and any lymph node surgery.

How many sessions did the hot flash trials use?

The Australian sham-controlled trial gave 10 treatments over 8 weeks. The American pragmatic trial allowed up to 20 treatments over 6 months. Neither number is a prescription; they simply show what researchers tested.

Will my doctor mind if I try acupuncture?

Most doctors simply want to know what you are using. Tell them, keep taking anything they have prescribed unless they change it, and bring your hot flash diary to your next visit so the conversation is based on what has actually happened.

Sources

1. NCCIH: Acupuncture: what you need to know
2. Ee C et al. Acupuncture for menopausal hot flashes: a randomized trial (Ann Intern Med, 2016)
3. Dodin S et al. Acupuncture for menopausal hot flushes (Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2013)
4. The 2023 nonhormone therapy position statement of The North American Menopause Society (Menopause, 2023)
5. Avis NE et al. Acupuncture in Menopause (AIM) study: a pragmatic, randomized controlled trial (Menopause, 2016)
6. NHS: Symptoms of menopause

Page reviewed October 5, 2026. This page is education, not a diagnosis. For your own situation, talk to your doctor, surgeon or care team, or ask us.