Clinical Hypnosis and the Treatment of Postmenopausal Hot Flashes

In a recent study funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and published in Menopause: The Journal of the North American Menopause Society, clinical hypnosis was shown to produce significant reductions in self-reported and physiologically measured hot flashes in postmenopausal women.

Hot flashes and nights sweats (vasomotor symptoms) affect as many as 80% of women. The use of estrogen and progesterone to manage hot flashes and night sweats has declined due to widespread concerns over health risks. Women are interested in finding safe, effective nonpharmacological approaches with minimal side effects to treat hot flashes.

Researchers conducted a randomized, single-blind, controlled clinical trial of 187 postmenopausal women who had a minimum of seven hot flashes per day. Participants received five weekly sessions of either clinical hypnosis or structured-attention control. Measurements were taken at the beginning of the study and then at 6 and 12 weeks. Hot flash frequency, daily interference, sleep quality, and treatment satisfaction were measured. The participants in both groups improved on all outcomes, but the hypnosis group improved significantly more than the control group and expressed greater satisfaction with treatment. For example, at the 12-week follow up, the average reduction in objectively monitored hot flashes was 57% for clinical hypnosis and 10% for controls. No adverse effects were reported.

Reference

Elkins, G. R., Fisher, W. I., Johnson, A. K., Carpenter,. J. S., & Keith, T. Z. (2012). Clinical hypnosis in the treatment of postmenopausal hot flashes: A randomized controlled trial. Menopause: The Journal of the North American Menopause Society, October 22, 2012. Epub ahead of print.