3.3 Complementary and alternative therapies

Although HRT is the right treatment for many in menopause, it is actually only used by about 20% of people experiencing menopausal symptoms. This may be influenced by GPs lacking confidence in prescribing HRT due to the many formulations available or feeling reticent to do so. Some people, however, choose not to use HRT. This may be because their symptoms are slight, or they prefer to opt for complementary and alternative therapies.

Some people have found therapies like acupuncture helpful in reducing their symptoms. In particular, regular acupuncture treatments over a period of at least 5 weeks has been shown to reduce anxiety, hot flushes, night sweats, and improve sleep.