Acupuncture as Treatment of Hot Flashes and the Possible Role of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide
Joint Authors
Hammar, Mats
Spetz Holm, Anna-Clara E.
Frisk, Jessica
Source
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Issue
Vol. 2012, Issue 2012 (31 Dec. 2012), pp.1-9, 9 p.
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publication Date
2011-10-26
Country of Publication
Egypt
No. of Pages
9
Main Subjects
Abstract EN
The mechanisms behind hot flashes in menopausal women are not fully understood.
The flashes in women are probably preceded by and actually initiated by a sudden downward shift in the set point for the core body temperature in the thermoregulatory center that is affected by sex steroids, β-endorphins, and other central neurotransmitters.
Treatments that influence these factors may be expected to reduce hot flashes.
Since therapy with sex steroids for hot flashes has appeared to cause a number of side effects and risks and women with hot flashes and breast cancer as well as men with prostate cancer and hot flashes are prevented from sex steroid therapy there is a great need for alternative therapies.
Acupuncture affecting the opioid system has been suggested as an alternative treatment option for hot flashes in menopausal women and castrated men.
The heat loss during hot flashes may be mediated by the potent vasodilator and sweat gland activator calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) the concentration of which increases in plasma during flashes in menopausal women and, according to one study, in castrated men with flushes.
There is also evidence for connections between the opioid system and the release of CGRP.
In this paper we discuss acupuncture as a treatment alternative for hot flashes and the role of CGRP in this context.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Spetz Holm, Anna-Clara E.& Frisk, Jessica& Hammar, Mats. 2011. Acupuncture as Treatment of Hot Flashes and the Possible Role of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine،Vol. 2012, no. 2012, pp.1-9.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-992421
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Spetz Holm, Anna-Clara E.…[et al.]. Acupuncture as Treatment of Hot Flashes and the Possible Role of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine No. 2012 (2012), pp.1-9.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-992421
American Medical Association (AMA)
Spetz Holm, Anna-Clara E.& Frisk, Jessica& Hammar, Mats. Acupuncture as Treatment of Hot Flashes and the Possible Role of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2011. Vol. 2012, no. 2012, pp.1-9.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-992421
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references
Record ID
BIM-992421