Cohen is beginning a study of acupuncture's effectiveness in relieving menopausal symptoms in breast cancer survivors. Many breast cancer survivors cannot take or are afraid to take prescription estrogen. Chemotherapy can cause perimenopausal symptoms to occur at an earlier age and, some research suggests, can make symptom management more difficult. Practitioners of Eastern medicine believed that the body's life force flows along defined meridians. If these meridians become blocked, illness occurs.
Acupuncture is believe to clear the blockage.
A more Western interpretation would be that acupuncture triggers reactions in the body that lead to the release of endorphins, the body's natural pain reliever. Though studies have confirmed acupuncture's utility in pain relief, Cohen said that more investigation must be done to determine what sites give relief for menopausal symptoms and how many treatments are necessary to see a benefit. Menopause is a natural process, said Cohen, and not all women want or need interventions to control its symptoms. But the baby boomers entering menopause do face challenges that their mothers did not. In a culture that routinely medicates headaches and colds, the demand for interventions around menopause is predictable, Cohen added.