Hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms are becoming more and more treatable with nonhormone alternatives, especially for women whose health prevents them from taking hormones.
Two popular nonhormone treatments are clinical hypnosis and cognitive behavioral therapy. But one is more successful than the other, per a recent scoping review.
The Menopause Society released its Nonhormone Therapy Position Statement in 2023 after realizing that some menopausal women are unable to receive hormone therapy due to perceived health risks or limitations, such as having survived breast cancer.
The Position Statement covered both clinical hypnosis and cognitive behavioral treatment, among other topics.
Hypnosis vs. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Menopause Relief
To assess the efficacy of these two therapy methods, however, a second scoping review was created, which summarized the results of 23 trials conducted between 1996 and 2022. Eight of the examined studies used clinical hypnosis, while fifteen used cognitive behavioral therapy to treat hot flashes(1✔ ✔Trusted Source
Clinical Hypnosis vs. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: What’s Better for Managing Hot Flashes?
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The researchers found that clinical hypnosis interventions consistently demonstrated clinically significant efficacy in reducing hot flash frequency and severity, as well as improving quality of life, sleep quality, and mood.
Specifically,
- Clinical hypnosis showed a significant reduction of more than 60%
- Cognitive behavioral therapy interventions showed mixed findings, with minimal impact on hot flash frequency reduction, although they did prove helpful in reducing the daily interference and stress associated with hot flashes.
More detailed results will be discussed at the 2024 Annual Meeting of The Menopause Society as part of the abstract presentation entitled “Clinical hypnosis and cognitive behavioral therapy for hot flashes: a scoping review.”
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Hidden Potential of Hypnosis in Hot Flash Relief
“Clinical hypnosis is the first behavioral intervention to achieve significant reductions of physiologically recorded hot flashes,” says Vanessa Muniz, lead author from Baylor University.
“This suggests that hypnosis may act through mechanisms beyond response expectancy or placebo effects, potentially altering activity in the medial preoptic area of the hypothalamus.”
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Based on the results, the researchers suggest that future research should explore neurophysiological mechanisms of hypnosis and innovative delivery methods such as smartphone apps, and tailor interventions to individual characteristics for optimized outcomes in managing hot flashes.
“Since hot flashes are one of the most common bothersome symptoms of menopause, evaluating the available treatment options, including the nonhormone options, are important so we can provide our patients with the option that will work best for them, says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director for The Menopause Society.
Reference:
- Clinical Hypnosis vs. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: What’s Better for Managing Hot Flashes? – (https:menopause.org/press-releases/clinical-hypnosis-vs-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-whats-better-for-managing-hot-flashes)
Source-Eurekalert
