Alternative Methods in the Management of Menopausal Symptoms

Year 2016, Volume: 2 Issue: 2, 20 - 25, 25.08.2016

Mehtap Gümüşay , Nülüfer Erbil

https://doi.org/10.19127/mbsjohs.20236

Cited By: 7

Abstract

The majority of women have mild or moderate symptoms during menopause, however, some women have severe complaints. Studies have been carried out which suggested that alternative methods are thought to be effective in improving menopausal symptoms. The aim of this review is to examine alternative methods used towards menopause symptoms using original research studies.

Published literatures and compurterised studies in Google Scholar, PubMed and Science Direct databases investigating effective methods at coping with menopause symptoms using the search terms “menopausal symptoms”, “alternative methods”, “management of symptoms” have examined in this study.

Studies have shown that acupuncture therapy can significantly reduce severity of hot flashes and it can improve sleep quality; moderate physical activity can reduce the frequency of hot flashes; the consumption of soy products can improve in vasomotor symptoms; probiotics can improve vaginal flora; an adequate intake of vitamin D and calcium during menopause may reduce the incidence of fractures.

Adapting healthy lifestyle behaviors and learning ways to reduce during the climacteric can help women adjust too many of the changes during this time. Health staffs should have inform about alternative methods and they should collect data with the use of alternative methods among women who menopausal symptoms.

Keywords

Menopausal symptoms, Alternative methods, Management of symptoms

References

• Aghamiri V, Mirghafourvand M, Mohammad-Alizadeh-Charandabi S, Nazemiyeh H. The effect of Hop (Humuluslupulus L.) on early menopausal symptoms and hot flashes: A randomized placebo-controlled trial. Complementary Ther Clin Pract 2015; 1-6. [Epub ahead of print]
• Al-Akoum M, Maunsell E, Verreault R, Provencher L, Otis H, Dodin S. Effects of Hypericumperforatum (St. John’s wort) on hot flashes and quality of life in perimenopausal women: a randomized pilot trial. Menopause 2009; 16: 307-14.
• Atasü T, Şahmay S, editors. Jinekoloji. Second Edition. İstanbul: Nobel Tıp Kitabevi; 2001.
• Baksu A, Ayas B, Cıtak S, Kalan A, Baksu B, Goker N. Efficacy of tibolone and transdermal estrogen therapy on psychological symptoms in women following surgical menopause. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2005; 9: 58-62.
• Bezircioğlu I, Gülseren L, Öniz A, Kındıroğlu N. Depression-anxiety and disability in the Premenopausal and Postmenopausal Period. Turk Psikiyatri Derg 2004;15: 199-207.
• Borelli F, Ernst E. Alternative and complementary therapies for the menopause. Maturitas 2010; 66: 333-43.
• Borud EK, Alraek T, White A, Fonnebo V, Eggen AE, Hammar M, et al. The acupuncture on hot flushes among menopausal women (ACUFLASH) study, a randomized controlled trial. Menopause 2009; 16: 484-93.
• Carmignani LO, Pedro AO, Costa-Paiva LH, Pinto-Neto AM. The effect of dietary soy supplementation compared to estrogen and placebo on menopausal symptoms: a randomized controlled trial. Maturitas 2010; 67: 262-69.
• Mohammad-Alizadeh-Charandabi S, Shahnazi M, Nahaee J, Bayatipayan S. Efficacy of black cohosh (Cimicifugaracemosa L.) in treating early symptoms of menopause: a randomized clinical trial. Chin Med 2013; 8: 20.
• Chedraui P, Pérez-López F, Sánchez H, Sánchez P, Miranda O, Quispe P, et al. Application of the 10-item Cervantes Scale among mid-aged Ecuadorian women for the assessment of menopausal symptoms. Maturitas 2014; 79: 100-5.
• Egelioğlu N. Keten tohumu kullanımının menopozal semptomlar ve yaşam kalitesi üzerine etkisi. Izmir: Ege Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü. 2012.
• Elavsky S, Gonzales JU, Proctor DN, Williams N, Henderson VW. Effects of physical activity on vasomotor symptoms: examination using objective and subjective measures. Menopause 2012; 19: 1095-103.
• Erkin Ö, Ardahan M, Kert A. Effect of Menopause on Women’s Quality of Life. Gümüşhane University Journal of Health Sciences 2014; 3: 1095-113.
• Ertem G. To determine the life quality of women in climacterium period. International Journal of Human Sciences 2010; 7: 469-83.
• Hachul H, Garcia TKP, Maciel AL, Yagihara F, Tufik S, Bittencourt L. Acupuncture improves sleep in postmenopause in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Climacteric 2012; 16: 36-40.
• Jackson HA, Sheehan AH. Effect of vitamin A on fracture risk. Ann Pharmacother 2005; 39: 2086-90.
• Kal HE. Menopozal Dönemlerdeki Kadınlarda Uyku Sorunları ve İlişkili Faktörler. Konya: Selçuk Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü. 2011.
• Kavlak T. Menopoz Dönemindeki Kadınlarda Kaygı Düzeyleri Ve Cinsel Doyumun Saptanması. Ankara: Gazi Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü. 2011.
• Koç Z, Sağlam Z. The Determination of The Symptom and The Attitudes of Women in Climacterium Period Related to Menopause. Aile ve Toplum Eğitim-Kültür ve Araştırma Dergisi 2008; 4: 100-12.
• Kutlu R, Çivi S, Pamuk G. Postmenopozal Kadınlarda Osteoporoz Sıklığı ve FRAXTM Skalası Kullanılarak 10 Yıllık Kırık Riskinin Hesaplanması. Turk J Phys Med Rehab 2012; 58:126-35.
• Larmo PS., Yang B, Hyssälä J, Kallio HP, Erkkola R. Effects of sea buckthorn oil intake on vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Maturitas 2014; 79: 316-21.
• Luoto R, Moilanen J, Heinonen R, Mikkola T, Raitanen J, Tomas E, et al. Effect of aerobic training on hot flushes and quality of life—a randomized controlled trial. Ann Med 2012; 44: 616-26.
• Mansikkamäki K, Raitanen J, Nygård CH, Heinonen R, Mikkola T, Luoto R. Sleep quality and aerobic training among menopausal women—A randomized controlled trial. Maturitas 2012; 72: 339-45.
• Newton KM, Reed SD, Guthrie KA, Sherman KJ, Booth-LaForce C, Caan B, et al. Efficacy of yoga for vasomotor symptoms: a randomized controlled trial. Menopause 2014; 21: 339-46.
• Nir Y, Huang MI, Schnyer R, Chen B, Manber R. Acupuncture for postmenopausal hot flashes. Maturitas 2007; 56: 383-95.
• Oteroa U, Chorb D, Carvalhob M, Faersteinc E, Lopesc C, Werneckc G. Lack of association between age at menarche and age at menopause: Pró-Saúde Study, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Maturitas 2010; 67: 245–50.
• Özcan H, Oskay Ü. Menopoz döneminde semptom yönetiminde kanıta dayalı uygulamalar. Göztepe Tıp Dergisi 2013; 28:157-63.
• Özkan S. Klimakteriyum ve Menopoz. Şirin A, Kavlak O, editors. Kadın Sağlığı. İstanbul: Nobel Tıp Kitabevi; 2015.
• Özvarış ŞB, Metin BC, Dülger Ş, Eşme G, Tolunay GA, Zengin G, et al. Menopoz Dönemindeki Bir Grup Kadında Genel Sağlık Durumu ve Postmenopozal Yakınmaların Belirlenmesi. 17. Ulusal Halk Sağlığı Kongresi; October, 20-24; Edirne- Turkey: 2014. p. 1102-3
• Papadimitropoulos E, Wells G, Shea B, Gillespie W, Weaver B, Zytaruk N, et al. Meta-analyses of therapies for postmenopausal osteoporosis. VIII: Meta-analysis of the efficacy of vitamin D treatment in preventing osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Endocr Rev 2002; 23: 560-9.
• Petricevic L, Unger FM, Viernstein H, Kiss H. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of oral lactobacilli to improve the vaginal flora of postmenopausal women. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2008; 141: 54-7.
• Richy F, Schacht E, Bruyère O, Ethgen O, Gourlay M, Reginster JY. Vitamin D analogs versus native vitamin D in preventing bone loss and osteoporosis-related fractures: a comparative meta-analysis. Calcif Tissue Int 2005; 76: 176-86.
• Saka G, Ceylan A, Ertem M, Palanci Y, Toksöz P. Some Properties of Over 40 Years Women with High School and Over Regarding Menopausal Period and Conception of Calcium Source Foods in Diyarbakır. Dicle Tıp Dergisi 2005; 32: 77-83.
• Taavoni S, Ekbatani NN, Haghani H. Valerian/lemon balm use for sleep disorders during menopause. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2013; 19: 193-96.
• Taşkın L. Doğum ve Kadın Hastalığı Hemşireliği. Ankara: Akademisyen Kitabevi; 2015.
• Turhan NO, Bolkan F, Duvan CI, Ardicoglu Y. The effect of isoflavones on bone mass and bone remodelling markers in postmenopausal women. Turk J Med Sci 2008; 38:145-52.
• Young T, Rabago D, Zgierska A, Austin D, Laurel F. Objective and subjective sleep quality in premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal women in the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study. Sleep 2003; 26: 667-72